Betwixt the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
by jelibeanne
Summary: Hellboy is sent to investigate a case and finds the person requesting his help to be a refreshing change, but also a perplexing challenge. Movieverse,comicverse.
1. Chapter 1

Obligatory disclaimer: Dark Horse and Mr. Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

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A/N: Wrote this a million years ago, but just recently unearthed this story. I appreciate your patience, feedback and the fact that you dropped by.

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The moment he walked into the bar, all eyes were on him. Their collective gaze seared his flesh, feeling like a branding iron to his skin. Conversations stopped. Heads swiveled towards the front door. Gazes trailed up and down his person in silent appraisal.

He bobbed his head at an old man sitting closest to the door, parked amongst his cronies, who had the decency to return the acknowledgement with a nod of his own before turning back towards his companions, no doubt to discuss this new stranger. With a bitter smile and a roll of his shoulders, the outsider stepped up to the bar and ordered a beer, paying for it with a ten and walking away before any change could be given.

He was here to meet his latest assignment and was able to pick her out of the bar patrons immediately – for she stuck out as prominently as he did. Her gaze was directed downwards so she was oblivious to his presence, allowing him to quietly appraise her before presenting himself.

Seated in the far corner of the bar, she was hunched over the table, her right hand quickly scrawling images into a drawing pad. Although it was almost uncomfortably warm in the bar, she wore a blue sweatshirt hoodie with the drawstring tied closely around her throat, causing the hood to gather close to the nape of her neck. Dark, wavy hair hung forward, curtaining her features, spilling onto the tabletop. An untouched cola sweated water all over the table. He wondered it the drawing pad would accidentally be used to sponge up some of the condensation.

After he maneuvered his bulk amongst the tables and bar patrons, his long duster coat managing to hug closely to his frame despite the casual way it hung open, he pulled out a chair at her table, turned it around backwards and straddled it. She didn't even look up.

"You're late. Did you get lost?"

He was a little taken aback, although he hoped he didn't show it. Instead, he set down his beer and pulled out a notepad. "Not lost. Car rental place didn't have the vehicle I requested and there was no way I was going to fit into a damn Neon. It took forever tracking down a vehicle for me to drive."

She finally looked up and her bright blue eyes locked into his golden yellow. _He's even more… imposing… in person_. A flicker of surprise washed over her features, but was quickly masked with a look of boredom. He knew the look was affected and that his appearance had startled her, but if she wasn't going to comment on it, neither would he. Instead, she replied, "Well, I can see how that would be a problem. But thank you for responding to my request so quickly. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive in calling but… well… the further the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense's involvement has become, the more at ease I've felt." She hesitated, as if unsure as to how the rest of the conversation should go. "How was the drive? Were you able to get here without any difficulty? I gave directions to – I'm presuming – your… liaison at the Bureau. But, or it seems in my limited experience, something always seems to get lost in the translation." She hoped he didn't see the slight cringe in her shoulders when she realized that she was babbling.

He ducked his head to hide his smile and covered by taking a sip of his beer before answering, "No problems finding the motel. Thanks for the note at the front desk. The gent behind the counter wasn't too hip to parting with your missive, but once I flashed some credentials he was more than happy to comply. Or, at least he complied." He shook his head slightly as he remembered the desk clerk, and then flashed a brilliant smile – a conspiratorial grin – that revealed gleaming white teeth that reminded her of Chiclets.

She set down her pencil and leaned back in her chair, arms folded across her chest and a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Ah, so that settles any questions of us meeting up with our proper party, although an international icon such as yourself probably wouldn't be vacationing in these here parts." When he scoffed, she amended, "Although rural Minnesota might be just the place for you to get away and get out of the limelight." Her blue eyes twinkled to soften the teasing.

That brought a chuckle. He had to admit that she was awfully engaging. Cases generally required him pulling… dragging… the information pertinent to the case from those requesting help. And while she had yet to tell him much, there was little doubt that information would be easy to come by.

Interrupting his thoughts, she continued, "I'm sure you're ready to get down to business, but this really isn't the place to discuss it. Although there will be some people here who know who you are and can probably make several educated guesses as to why. But in the meantime, maybe we can get you some food if you're hungry; the kitchen should be open for another hour. And then kind of feel each other out."

He swallowed. Hard. It wasn't often than he felt out of control on a case, especially before the investigation really even began, but he had the distinct feeling that she wanted to run the show. He wasn't one who liked to be led, so he knew that they would be stepping on each other's toes.

He didn't want to admit to himself that he found her attractive. There was no way he should even be thinking that. _But those eyes…_ Her bright blue eyes, fringed by thick lashes, were the main feature of her pale, oval face. An upturned nose, with a dusting of freckles that extended onto her high cheekbones, sat right above pillow-soft lips. And while not model beautiful, he couldn't help but feel that she was all the more striking because there was an approachability, as well as a vulnerability, to her. _Feel each other out… Stop thinking like that, old man!_

He closed his eyes so he could refocus and then took a deep breath, before answering. "Not hungry, but thanks. I ate on the plane. If you can call what I ate food." The comment brought a lopsided smile to her lips that revealed a dimple on her left cheek. "However, I think we both are being a little presumptuous. I know you had requested a female agent--."

"And I know that she got delayed on another assignment," she interrupted, her lips curving from mildly amused to an understanding smile. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how irritating she had found the news. "Your boss, Agent Manning, already put in the call. Said he was sending in his top agent – you – to substitute. Well, he asked if I was all right with that. And while I'm slightly embarrassed by the whole situation, I'm perfectly fine having the internationally renown Hellboy working on my case."

In person, Jade found him to be an imposing presence. At around seven feet, and every inch of his frame bearing well-muscled red skin, Hellboy was a head-turner. Over the years, she, as well as most of the country, had read about his exploits in news magazines or caught an interview with him on the national news, but seeing him in person – with circular stumps that were filed down horns on his forehead, a long red tail, inky black sideburns that were wide enough to land a passenger plane on, a 'soul patch' under his bottom lip and hair pulled back in a samurai 'do, wearing a faded brown leather duster over a tight black t-shirt and black leather pants that ended above the toe tops of motorcycle boots – was something else entirely. She wasn't nervous per se, as his disarming nature oozed out of every pore, but holding a conversation with someone other than a member of her own species required a moment – or two – to adapt. But there was also something she couldn't put her finger on that she found very… charismatic.

Hellboy felt as if a great weight had been taken off his shoulders. He actually smiled back. Tugging on his soul patch, he nodded his head. "So you know who I am. But I'm confused. Although I'm going to presume that no one else in town is expecting me, aren't you supposed to be here with a sister, Mizz… Coquin, correct?"

She extended her hand forward. "Please, call me Jade. And it's a pleasure to meet you. I just wish it were under different circumstances. But again, thank you for coming out so quickly. I just hope that it was warranted and it's not just me losing my mind. Although my sister could also vouch for what happened, as she was the target of the… attack. But since she's not here, and since I'm sure you were wondering where she is, let me tell you that she hightailed it out of here yesterday, heading back down to St. Louis. She thought that if she left here, everything that happened would vanish like a bad memory. I told her to wait, to stay, but there was no deterring her. I… I'm very worried that she may be on the verge of a breakdown of some sorts."

He took her hand in his, noting how slim and elegant her hand was compared to his huge, rough paw. He also noted that she extended her left hand, in deference to the fact that his own right was three times the size of his left and looked as if it were made of stone. The look on her face was that of gratitude, not the usual fear that most women had of him.

"Now, I don't have a lot of details, as I just got a brief summery of the situation while on the flight because, well, I just finished another case and was caught in the airport just before I boarded a flight back home. And, uhm, because I just wasn't given the most detailed of descriptions, to be quite honest." He shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling like a mountain range. "But, from what I gather, I can tell you that it sounds like you have an infestation. How long had it been since you were at the house before taking it over from your parents?"

Jade was quiet a moment, absorbing his assessment. An infestation. _What the hell does that mean?_ She shook her head gently, as if clearing the images in her head, then shrugged her shoulders and looked him square in the eyes as she answered, "At least ten years. Not since I started college. Same for my sister, if not longer. And I know my folks hadn't been to the house for… gads… at least three. They were college professors who liked to summer here at the end of the school year; my dad grew up not too far from here. But then offers to teach classes over the summers, as well as offers to lecture at other schools, became too good to pass up when more and more money was being presented to them. I don't know how such a… an infestation could happen, as the house showed no signs of break-in or any other occupancy when I checked it out. But, I guess somehow it happened. And… they didn't like either of us being there."

Hellboy had to remember that she didn't want to go into the specifics of the case there in the bar and he realized that she had said more than she intended, by the furtive looks she cast at the other bar patrons. There was also the fact that what he meant by an infestation wasn't translating into her mind. He looked down to collect his thoughts and noticed her sketchpad. It looked like a sketch of a stylized golden beetle with its wings spread.

"Journey?"

Her gaze dropped down to her drawing and her lips curved into a lopsided smile and she snorted in disbelief. "What? Journey? Oh man… Godammit! Why didn't I see that? I guess it does look like the Journey logo. Great band, but no. It's just supposed to be a golden scarab beetle. A client of mine requested it for a back piece and so I've been spending my day drawing the same picture in as many different styles as I can think up. Welcome to incarnation seven."

Hellboy's brow arched. "Client? Back piece?" The irritation he felt switching planes which then fermented in the drive to meet Jade was starting to dissipate the deeper they delved into conversation.

"Ah yes. The 'what I do for a living' part of the conversation." She shrugged her shoulders and her lopsided grin developed into a full smile, softening the edge of her words. "I push ink." At the furrowing of Hellboy's brow, Jade amended, "I'm a tattoo artist. I work for a tattoo shop just outside of St. Louis." Digging into her back pocket, she removed a chain wallet and removed a business card. She handed it to Hellboy with a rueful smile.

He took the card without comment and read it.

Drawn and Quartered Tattoo Studio & Piercing Parlor

Jade Coquin

Skin Artist and Proprietrix

Hellboy wasn't usually at a loss for words, but it took him a moment to get his bearings. The idea of this woman bending over large, sweaty men who wanted dollar signs or pit bulls permanently adhered to their stomachs – or worse – was the last thing he ever expected to hear. But he quickly recovered, reminding himself that he was being a hypocrite, judging before delving into the whole story, and then smiled. If this didn't beat all!

"And since it's rather warm in here, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the hoodie is covering up evidence of your trade?"

Jade laughed, a low belly laugh that Hellboy wanted to hear over and over again. "You found me out. Gotta cover up the tats somehow. The town itself is pretty small and while most of the gents here have some ink, I don't think the gals have more than a butterfly on their shoulder, a flower on their ankle, or some tribal or Celtic design stamped across their lower back. But certainly not one in all three locations. So yeah, you figured me out. Your investigative skills serve you well.

"However, I'm guessing that you're wearing a long coat for similar reasons; to cover yourself up from prying eyes. And since it's damn hot in here tonight, let's go to the front desk at the motel and look into getting you a room. I figured if a female agent was coming out, we could share. But let's see what we can do about setting you up in your own digs. I didn't find out 'til about thirty or so minutes ago it was going to be you – and I was in the middle of dinner here. Sorry I didn't head over there and set it up when I found out, but the grub here is unbelievable. Sure you don't want anything?"

Hellboy shook his head no and watched Jade shrug her shoulders before laying a twenty on the table and tossing her belongings in a messenger bag. She then slid out of her chair, starting towards the door. He downed the rest of his beer and stood up, taking a long moment to appreciate the view as Jade maneuvered her way amongst the tables. Halfway across the bar, she turned around and waited for Hellboy, who raised his beer bottle in salute, let the last few drops in the bottle trickle down his throat and then set the bottle down with flourish. He then followed Jade into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mr. Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

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"With the state football championship Saturday night, I have no rooms available, Miss. No one does. You, yourself, took my last room for the weekend. I can give you a cot, but either you're stuck driving out at least thirty miles to the next motel or you two are bunking down together." The man behind the front desk shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up, then quickly turned and pretended to go through a pile of papers 

Jade swallowed hard and bit back a comment. With a tight smile and a nod of her head, she muttered, "Thanks. You've been very helpful. And I'll let you know about the cot," pivoted on her heel and strode out of the small lobby and into the fading light of sunset, which cast a warm glow on the parking lot.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What the hell am I supposed to do? Why didn't I think about this BEFORE he showed up? Why didn't you arrange for a room of their own, regardless of their gender when you were told someone was being sent out? You're such a dumbass. Well, there he is and it seems like there's only one thing you can do in a situation like this…_

"No room at the inn," she said to Hellboy, who was leaning against his rental SUV. "Not unless we drive thirty or more miles out. Something about a state football championship game this weekend. I know it doesn't make things better, but I am so sorry you have such a dumbass for a case. But if you don't object, I can let you have the bed and I can bed down on the floor."

Hellboy pushed himself off the car frame with his foot and fell in step beside Jade as she made her way across the parking lot to her room. Their room. The motel looked like it had been pulled off an old movie studio backlot, so typical it was in appearance. All the units were accessible from the parking lot and the motel was u-shaped, with the office and lobby at one end and a vending machine and laundry room at the other. The honky-tonk was the next property over from the motel office.

Hellboy sighed, deep and heavy. Irritation was beginning to push its way to his surface emotions, despite his Herculean efforts to keep them from being visible to his case. Not that he minded doubling up, especially when his new roommate looked like Jade, but it was the fact that she seemed to mind doubling up with him that irritated him. Hellboy had to wonder if she'd look so upset if he was as human looking as she.

"I'll just sleep in the SUV tonight. I've slept in worse places. I'll sleep there tonight, bust out your problem tomorrow and be out of your hair and on my way to the airport by tomorrow night."

Jade could hear the annoyance lacing his clipped words and instantly turned to face him. She stepped into his path and put her hand up in a 'stop' gesture, saying, "No. I should have looked for a room of your own before you arrived, but even if I had, it seems that it would've been a waste. They've been booked up the past several nights and it'll continue for the next several. I'm mad at myself for not making proper arrangements. You will keep the bed. End of story. Besides, I've slept on many a motel or hotel room floor when the mattress was too mushy. It's all good."

Hellboy was silent as he arched a brow and tugged on his soul patch. The moonlight washed away the color of her skin, leaving her with achingly red lips and eyes so blue that he was reminded of the fathomless depths of the ocean. Or even the nearby Lake Superior. Which, according to signs as he took the highway towards the town, was only about five miles away. A smile twitched at his lips as the random thought entered his head.

_You have got to get a rein on this, old man. It's gonna make your job that much more difficult if you allow these distractions._

"Well, if anybody is gonna be sleeping on the floor, it should be me. But I'm not a big fan of that. Did he offer you a cot? Because I could sleep on that and let you have the bed," Hellboy suggested.

Jade wanted to laugh at the thought of the red demon sleeping on a fold-up cot, but the earnest look on his face tempered her smile. Instead, she remained silent and fished her room key out of her back pocket and with a flick of the wrist, opened the door. Hellboy filed in behind her, ducking his head to get through the doorway, watching as Jade turned on a few lights and moved a few items around.

The room was small but well maintained. The walls were the color of butterscotch, as were all of the objects housed inside the quarters. A queen-sized bed, the frame blending in with the walls and swathed in a sea of yellowish-beige bedding, sat next to the window. A table with two chairs was placed between the bed and the wall that separated the bathroom from the main room. And a low dresser supported an archaic television. He was faintly surprised, and impressed, that a clock radio, circa 1985, sat on the nightstand. Most places, you had to request a wake-up call or pack your own.

Hellboy shrugged off his coat and laid it on the chest of drawers, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror in the process. He squelched the urge to grimace at his reflection, but did notice that his horns needed to be filed down. And soon. The cut by his left eye was all but healed and he had to look very hard to see the bruising around the corners of his mouth. But he also saw the hated red skin. _No wonder she's freaked out by ya, ya big ugly freak._ Her words interrupted his self-loathing and brought him back to the present.

"Yeah, I was offered a cot. I don't know why I didn't accept the offer at the time, but I'll call the manager and have him deliver it in a little while. However, you keep the bed. You'll probably be a bit too tall for even that queen, but there is no way you'll fit on a twin-sized cot."

Hellboy couldn't argue that and didn't want to beat a dead horse, so instead he tested the strength of the dresser before leaning against it. He knew now was the time to redirect the conversation back to the reason she called him in the first place. "You win on the bed. A concession I make grudgingly." A wink softened the sentiment, a tactic Hellboy employed to make for an easier transition to the next topic. When she smiled in response, he continued, "So, think we should talk about what happened to you? And to your sister? I don't want to push you, but you did ask for help and I want to offer it..."

Jade pulled out a chair from the table and sank into it, propping her elbows on the tabletop and resting her face in her hands. A small headache was starting to form behind her eyes, but she knew the moment of truth arrived; she would have to tell her rescuer why he had been summoned. She rubbed her face several times, as if wiping exhaustion away, but Jade was just buying some time in trying to articulate her thoughts. After her sister had left, Jade had alternated between being terrified for her sibling and mentally composing her description of the events that transpired.

Rolling her head to one side, her head still cupped in her hands, Jade looked at Hellboy. It was almost startling how much his presence filled the room. It was as if physically wore the room, so tiny it seemed around him. He was leaning against the bureau, the end of his tail in his hands, patiently waiting for her to begin on her own schedule. A deep sigh escaped her lips.

_How the fuck did I end up in this situation again?_

"I guess now is the big reveal, huh?" She felt very naked, all of a sudden. Very exposed. Jade had taken care of her sister, then focused on getting help. Now that the Calvary had arrived, the focus was back on her rather than on what was to come. "Where to begin?"

Hellboy pursed his lips and pulled out a small notebook and pen from inside his coat pocket, clicking the pen so the ink tip emerged. He wanted to be ready if any details were revealed worthy of notation. Pulling out the chair across from Jade, Hellboy sank into it, knowing that his height intimidated many people. But he didn't want too sit too close to her that he invaded her personal space, as when people become upset or agitated, their boundaries tended to expand. Any steps he could take to put Jade more at ease would be well worth his time in the long run. He also knew the question was more rhetorical than literal, but thought she might need help being lead in the right direction. "Let's start easy. When the two of you first got to the house, what did you do?"

Jade swallowed, hard, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing_. "We pulled into the drive and piled into the house. Went through the rooms, turning on lights and pulling sheets off some of the furniture." At the furrowing of his brows and the look of confusion entering Hellboy's eyes, Jade explained. "There were drop cloths over everything. You know, keeping dust off and whatnot. Anyways, we went through the rooms, getting our bearings and after a while, we got hungry.

"Now, let me backtrack and say that we had brought some groceries because we wanted to grill some hot dogs on the stretch of beach that's about… a quarter mile or so up from the house. We used to do it all the time, when we were in high school. So as we're grabbing some food to haul up there, Athena – my sister – gets the brilliant idea to bring a bucket or something to put wood into that we might happen upon in our trek. So she goes into the pantry and in addition to finding a bucket, she also finds our old hammock.

"Well, we both get giddy, remembering all the nights we would lay stretched out, watching the stars, listening to the waves slap the dock. So we set up the hammock with the intent of laying out when we got back, and after dinner – which was uneventful but fun – we toss the dirty dishes in the sink and climb into the hammock.

"We chatted, talking about old times and such. Then, eventually, time caught up with us and we both started to doze off. It was warm. We were relaxed. It was inevitable.

"Suddenly, I'm on the ground with a hard thud and my sister is screaming. I can't see what's harming her, but suddenly I can't move. It's as if something is restraining me. Then there's more than just one… something… restraining me. And I'm helpless."

Hellboy took a few notes while Jade was talking, but mostly just listened. It was almost refreshing, dealing with a case like Jade's. He hated thinking that, but she was being so forthcoming. Hellboy couldn't remember the last time he didn't have to spoon feed the proper questions to a client in order to get even a smidgen of information out of them. And while the situation was unfortunate and scary, he didn't think it was life threatening for anyone. Of course, until he knew more, Hellboy didn't want to make any bets or predictions. But most times he dealt with creatures or powers that wanted nothing more than to kill him, often while he was defending people that showed no appreciation for the harm he was protecting them from.

"So you think you were restrained by multiple entities?"

She sat up straight, her hands dropping to grip the tabletop. The look on her face was completely earnest. "Fuck yes! They even left bruises. Bad ones. It's been a few days and I don't think they've turned their darkest yet. At some points, I thought they were going to squeeze so hard my arms would break. Or even get yanked off from my body."

"Bruises, huh? Would it be too much to ask if I could take a look?"

It was as if she wilted. Hellboy watched as her spine became limp and she sank back against the chair. Despite knowing that the moment of truth would happen, a fact she had been relishing for several days, Jade suddenly felt shy. She knew that he was going to have to see the evidence of the encounter, but suddenly the idea of exposing her skin to his eyes seemed to cause her knees to quake. She just wasn't good at being powerless. Swallowing hard, she jutted her chin out and answered, "No. Of course not. Just… well… no, it only makes sense. Just… let me get this hoodie off."

Standing up, she inhaled deeply. Ever respectful, Hellboy relocated to the edge of the bed, in order to give Jade plenty of room. Showing her vulnerability made Jade very uneasy and Hellboy didn't want her to end the case before it even began. More times than he cared to recount, people – especially women – would send him packing at the first sign of their showing weakness. And while Jade was certainly a hard person to read, helpless didn't seem like one of her characteristics.

Standing before Hellboy, Jade had a fleeting feeling of being a paid hooker about to strip for her john. Closing her eyes, trying to focus on the reason Hellboy was sitting in her hotel room, Jade thought of her sister. The torn clothes. The blood. The tears. Swallowing hard, Jade opened her eyes and looked at Hellboy, her blue eyes locking into his. And instantly she knew she was safer now than she had ever been in her life.

Jade took another deep breath and grabbed the bottom edge of her hoodie.


	3. Chapter 3

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mr. Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

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Hellboy sat down on the bed, wincing at the audible creak of the mattress springs under his weight, and tried not to watch with obvious interest as Jade began to tug her hoodie up and over her head. Jade used her right hand to hold the shirt underneath her hoodie in place and her left hand to tug the blue sweatshirt material up her torso. Once Jade felt that shirt beneath the hoodie wouldn't come off with it, she used both hands to finish pulling the bottom of the hoodie over her head and off her arms. Standing in her earth brown tank top and blue denim jeans, she looked at him shyly, but defiantly. Almost daring him to say something – anything – about the way she looked. 

Before, in the honky-tonk, Jade looked like any typical college student. Long, dark hair. Hoodie and jeans. Face clean of any traces of make-up. Hellboy would be able to swear she was cute, but there would be no way to differentiate her in a crowd of college co-eds. But now, she looked unlike any woman Hellboy had ever come in contact with. Sure, he had been to New York more times than he could count – it was the one city where he felt he could somewhat fit in – so tattoos were not unknown to him. But Jade was sporting full-length tattoo sleeves that started high up on her shoulders and extended to just below her wrist. One didn't see much of that in his department of the government.

_Business, business, business._

Hellboy swallowed hard. Gone was any sort of temptation that a beautiful woman was starting to take any of her clothes off in front of him. Instead, his mind was instantly back into business mode and if he hadn't so shocked at what he saw, Hellboy might even be mad at himself for even considering impure thoughts. Despite all the ink on her arms, various shades of green, yellow, brown, purple – even red – swirled through the uninked areas of her skin. He couldn't remember seeing such bruising in decades that didn't result in any sort of hospitalization.

Jade had her right arm crossed over her midsection, holding her left arm right rather gingerly above the elbow. Hellboy knew she was feeling exposed and saw the defensive gesture for what it was. But the look in her blue eyes was not one who felt helpless, but rather one of challenge and curiosity.

"It, or they, hurt you bad. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but may I look a little bit closer?"

Jade worried her bottom lip between her teeth, a guarded look suddenly entering her eyes, but it left as soon as it appeared and only after only the slightest hesitation, she gave a curt nod of her head.

Hellboy stood up and moved about the room, turning on all of the lights, trying to find the best vantage as where to inspect Jade. Deciding that the light over the sink by the bathroom gave off the brightest illumination, Hellboy smiled benignly at Jade, then hesitated a moment before gently taking her right hand in his left and leading her to the sink.

Jade had to fight the reflex to shudder when his hand enveloped hers. Now that the gravity of the situation was upon her, she couldn't help but relive the feelings of panic that washed over her several days ago. Creatures that were unseen to her, creatures that were not human had overwhelmed her sister and herself – rendering the two of them powerless. And now, despite her attempts to think otherwise, another creature was in her presence; one that also had the ability to leave her without any control. _Please, don't let this be a mistake._

"Again, how long ago was this?" His hand abandoned hers.

The question interrupted the thoughts she was battling. She looked down at her hand, which looked normal-sized again after being ensconced in his large red grasp, before looking up into his face. His brow was furrowed and concern had darkened his golden eyes to amber. Despite the crimson color of his skin, his lips were pressed so tightly together, Jade swore she could see a white line of pressure where the skin met.

Jade sighed before answering, really wishing she was anywhere but there at that moment. "About five days ago." That caused a low whistle to escape from Hellboy's lips. "As I said, we were laying in the hammock dozing, when suddenly my sister is screaming and I'm on the ground with the wind knocked out of me. I felt something grab my right arm and I sat up. Then something grabbed my left arm. I fought and fought, but whoever – whatever – they were, was stronger than I am. I got pushed back down to the ground. I couldn't really see them, and I can't really understand that at all, but I felt pretty well paralyzed and can't remember much of what happened. Just a lot of pain and that initial grabbing of my arms. The next day, my sister and I spent being freaked out, holed up in this motel room, trying to figure out if there was anything we could do. The day after that, I went online and found the number to your office. My sister left the day after that; she couldn't take it any more. Then the day after _that_, here you are."

Hellboy nodded his head as he gently held Jade's wrist in his hand, holding her arm out horizontally from her body, rotating it so he could see all sides of it. He did the same with her other arm and then finally he looked at her neck.

She could sense his hesitation in moving her curtain of hair aside to look at her neck, so Jade took her hair in her own hands. Pulling her hair back with her right hand, Jade tilted her chin up to the ceiling so the agent before her could get a better vantage of the bruising ringing her neck. She was grateful that Hellboy hadn't commented on the tattoos covering her arms, rather carefully inspecting the damage done to her skin amongst all the color. She winced as he gently trailed his fingertips across the tender skin of her neck.

"That's beautiful," Hellboy whispered, so quietly Jade had to wonder if he was addressing her or talking to himself. His finger was tracing the tiny fairy she had tattooed just behind her left ear and Hellboy leaned in so close, his breath was warm on her skin. Jade closed her eyes and felt a shiver go down her spine. After the fact, it occurred to her that her shudder wasn't in fear. The thought brought color to her cheeks, a reaction she was pleased went unnoticed by Hellboy. Or so she hoped.

Hellboy sighed and went back to the bed to grab a notepad to jot down some questions and concerns going through his head. It looked to be the genuine article; the bruising on her neck still had the distinctive marks of being inflicted by hands. The pads of the fingertips were large and were created by someone standing in front of Jade because of where the thumb bruises were, so there would be no way she could have bruised herself. The bruising on her arms was less obvious, hidden amongst the color tattooed on her skin. But after twisting her arms in different directions, Hellboy was able to ascertain that two entities, one holding each arm, had grabbed her. Two sets of handprints, a right and a left, were on each arm; both sets of hands were of different sizes.

"I hate to ask, but did they…?"

The unfinished question caused Jade to look away from Hellboy, her eyes focusing on the ceiling, tears being rapidly blinked back. A sudden, deep sigh filled her lungs with much needed air, as the room suddenly felt tiny; the walls seemed to be pressing in closer. She tried to block the mental images that battered her brain, but it was to no avail.

Maybe if she unloaded, if she shared her pain, then maybe… Maybe if Jade said the things racing around in her head aloud, then she would be able to stop reliving the nightmare.

"Not to me, no. But to my sister."

The words were barely a whisper, but they thundered loudly in Hellboy's ears.

Suddenly, it dawned on Hellboy why she had requested a female agent.

_Aw crap._

An incubus. Hellboy wanted to slap his hand against his forehead in frustration. He hadn't dealt with such demons in a long time. What a nasty lot they were. He sighed quietly, knowing that this might be the worst conversation he had in a very long time.

_Dammit._

Some days he hated his job.


	4. Chapter 4

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mr. Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

"It sounds like you and your sister were attacked by an incubus," Hellboy said quietly. This would be so much better if he had a cigarette. Heck, it might go better if _she_ had a cigarette. But Hellboy didn't want to interrupt the flow of conversation by offering her a drag; they were both just starting to feel more comfortable with each other. 

"Uhm, I'm guessing you're not talking about the band."

Hellboy softly chuckled, a hollow sound without a trace of humor, and looked up from his note taking. Jade was trying very hard to put on a brave front, but he knew she was terrified of not only what happened to her, but of what he was about to say. He set down his writing accessories on the bed, stood up and led Jade back to her chair. After she sat, he squatted down in front of her. Collecting his thoughts, he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath before launching into his explanation.

"Incubi are male demons who attack women when they sleep, although there are exceptions. Dozing, resting, relaxing… as in your case. I'm not sure if you have a religious affiliation, so you may or may not be aware that there are different levels of demons, just as there are angels–."

"I'm from St. Louis, where we know a little bit about demons. In fact, I think it's ingrained in all of us through the city water supply because no one ever really talks about it. I mean, how many cities can claim to being the site of the most well known demon possession in the world?" Jade interrupted, not wanting a lecture in demonology; she just wanted to get the matter over and done with.

Hellboy ignored her interruption and continued, "In fact some say that incubi are angels that got kicked out due to having lustful tendencies. I, personally, don't see the religious connection as they exist with one purpose and one purpose only – to have sex. But, regardless, incubi are demons and are at the lowest end of the demonic scale. They exist with animalistic intelligence, rather than the level at which you and I operate."

Hellboy watched as Jade's emotions danced across her features and gave her a moment to absorb what he jut said. He knew there was irony in telling her about lustful demons, when he, himself, had his share of impure thoughts. That he was the product of such a liaison, if one wanted to get technical. And there he was, moving himself into the same category as Jade, separating himself from the demons he was talking about. _Please let her focus on the message, not the messenger. _

"I won't get into what they do, as you know better than I, but I can tell you that if you try to fight the incubus that you'll have a feeling of paralysis. That all of your energy has been zapped from your body. Or that you have pressure–."

"On your chest?" Jade interrupted.

Nodding his head, Hellboy had to tell himself that this was Jade's rodeo and that everyone wanted to be a part of a conversation. That reaction to information was to be expected. Of course, few clients wanted to know anything of the case, preferring to pass off the problem and walk away. He ha to give her props from trying to be a part of the process. "Exactly. In fact, the word derives from the Latin _incubare,_ which means to lie upon or weigh down. Now, there are a few things we can do to ward off any further attacks until we can excise them from your life. We can–."

Cocking her head in confusion, Jade wrinkled her brow and asked, "Excise them from my life? You mean they aren't bound to the house? They can come after me anywhere? After my sister?"

Hellboy stood up and stretched, then sat down on the corner of the bed, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He tried rubbing away some of the exhaustion from the earlier flight, but it was to no avail. He was flippin' tired. And he was fully aware of the ludicrousness of the situation he was in. A half demon that was fighting an attraction to his latest case, which involved male demons raping another member of said case. Exhaling a deep sigh, Hellboy continued.

"Generally, the incubi stay tethered to a location, but their insatiable lust has been known to carry them to wherever they can find victims. Tomorrow, we should go to your folks' house and see if your presence brings them out to visit. I can promise you that nothing, and I repeat nothing, will happen to you. Not on my watch."

Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, Jade began to pace the small room. She knew she was going to have to go back to the house, but Hellboy's words rang in her ears. _Carry them to wherever they can find victims._

"What happens if they come by tonight? Come by here?"

Hellboy wanted to chuckle at the absurdity of the questions. He wanted to tell her that if they hadn't gone after her in the motel room yet, then she was safe. But the earnestness in her voice, the concern shining in her eyes, tempered his humor. "They're at the lowest end of the demonic scale, so it's very simple to ward them off. A glass of water next to your bed is enough to keep negative energy at bay. Salt is also excellent. We can sprinkle some between the sheet and mattress, so it's not all over you. And, if you believe in God, a prayer can certainly go a long way. Although, not really the same kind of demons. But, I figure, every little bit of help one can get, ya know?"

Jade stopped mid-stride and after a long moment, her head snapped up, as if startled. Furrowing her brow, she regarded Hellboy a long moment before asking, "You really believe in God?" The words escaped her lips before she knew it, her eyes getting wide in shock and both hands covering her mouth in disbelief. "Shit! I can't believe I just said that. I am so sorry! That was so very rude of me. I didn't mean to say that. I meant–."

Hellboy held up his right hand to stop her. It worked; she shut her mouth mid-sentence. "It's all good. Father was a devout Catholic and made sure I was baptized into the religion. He also made sure that I was well-schooled in the faith. Never leave home without my rosary." Hellboy reached into a coat pocket and then held out his left hand, a beautifully crafted rosary hanging from his wrist.

Jade hung her head in shame and was quiet as she digested his words. Here was a man, or rather a demon, or – technically – both, who was telling her that he would protect her from other demons. She wanted to believe him. She knew his track record. But there was something about his red skin, the circular stumps on his forehead where horns normally would spring forth, and the long tail swishing back and forth that made her wonder.

What if… he's actually an incubus, too? What if… he was there that night? What if… he's trying to lull me into a false sense of security? What if… I'm crazy and I'll wake up from this bad dream locked up in a nuthouse?

Hellboy could see the wariness enter Jade's eyes and it hurt him more than he would admit. "Jade, you have the right to ask for another agent, if that would make you more comfortable. Now, I'm going to go grab my bag and then take a shower, which will give you some time to mull it over. While I'm in there, don't sweat it if you put in a call to the Bureau. The whole point is for you to feel safe and secure while I make sure that actually happens. As I said, think about it. If you decide to make that call, head on over to the motel office and chill out there."

His words, meant to reassuring and kindly, were only making Jade feel more and more like shit. _Why am I having any doubts? This…man has shown me nothing but kindness. There is no doubt to his credibility._ Jade watched as Hellboy silently opened the motel room door and disappeared into the night. She had to think fast in order to restore his confidence in her ability to trust him.

Running out into the parking lot after him, Jade met him at the hatchback of his SUV. "Hey! Listen, there's no reason you should put up with my crap. And there's no reason for you to forgive me. But I've never been in a situation even _vaguely_ resembling this before. I haven't slept in days. I haven't heard from my sister since she left. And now I have the greatest paranormal investigator _in the world_ sharing space in my motel room. So please don't laugh when I say it's me that should be asking you to consider staying. I need your help. And I'll do my best to help you in any way I can. I just can't always promise not to be freaked out about the process."

Hellboy was silent as he fished his pack of cigarettes out of his inside coat pocket. Shaking one loose, he lipped it before extending the pack to Jade who shook her head no. Nodding his head, he pocketed the pack and pulled the suitcase from the confines of the vehicle, shutting the door with a bang that rang in the stillness of the night. After setting the suitcase on the pavement, Hellboy lit the cigarette and regarded Jade.

"I just want you to be sure."

Jade nearly wept in relief. He was… he was looking past her prejudice. Truly, he was a better person than she way. "The only call I'm making… is to the front desk to get that cot. It's not you I have doubts in; it's me. I never saw what was, uhm, hurting me… What was hurting my sister. I could only feel it… and I know that I got off so much easier than my poor sister. But, to avoid beating around the bush, it's a little unnerving to have a man who is part demon himself talking about excising demons from my life. I mean no offense and I don't mean to be rude, just honest.

"But it's a true honor – and a privilege – to have you here. I've been following your career for a very long time and it had been my intention to take one of your father's classes when I lived in New York, but there was always scheduling conflicts on my end. So please understand, I have the utmost of faith in you; it's just that it was terrifying to hear my sister as she was… raped." The last word was barely more than a whisper, but Jade rolled her shoulders back, took a deep breath, looked him dead in the eye and continued, "I'm sorry. No hard feelings? I promise to do better."

Hellboy was silent a moment, holding in a sigh of frustration that he so desperately wanted to exhale. She was so engaging that it was difficult for her words not to hurt. Not even three hours had passed since they met and already what she thought was important to him. _And just when I thought this case was going to be less painful than some of the others… I should have realized that what I am was going to factor in as much as who I am._

Buying time in articulating his response, Hellboy rolled the suitcase back into their motel room. Setting the luggage by the bed, he turned and gently placed his hands on Jade's shoulders, ignoring her subtle flinch. His golden eyes bored into her cobalt ones as he quietly said, "Jade, I am bound by a code of ethics to protect you and keep you safe. No matter what. And at all costs. That's my job right now. And a big part of what let's me do my job is what I am. Now, I don't talk about this very often, and once I put it out there, it's not open for discussion afterwards, but my biological mother… she apparently became very involved with the dark arts. So much so that she summoned and had… relations with a demon. There are women, my mother being one of them, who seek out… relations with such an entity. And then I came along. So that makes me what I am.

"But my father, who adopted me and raised me, has made me who I am. And I won't say that I'm this great guy or anything. I drink. I smoke. I'm crude.

"But I know right from wrong. I don't like bad guys. And I especially don't like bad guys who pick on people who aren't as strong as they are. So I'm a guy," and there was particular emphasis on the last word, "who gets to be a hero and rescue damsels in distress. So understand, I see myself the same way as you see yourself. More or less."

Never feeling more like a pile of shit in her life, Jade felt her cheeks burn and nodded her head in understanding, refusing to make eye contact with Hellboy. She turned out of his grasp and became fixated with moving her belongings off the nightstand next to the bed and back into her suitcase. Hellboy tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling, frustration oozing from every pore.

So caught up in his aggravation, he almost missed the quiet words Jade whispered. "I am so ashamed of myself."

His head snapped down, his eyes boring into the top of her head. "Jade…"

Still squatting by the open nightstand drawer, Jade pivoted on her heels and looked at Hellboy through her lashes. Pressing her lips together, she swallowed hard, thinking. After a moment, Jade stood and sat on the bed, indicating Hellboy should join her. Instead, he leaned against the dresser and waited for Jade to speak.

He watched her take a breath and then smile tightly at him. "I am beyond mortified. I asked for help; you're offering to do just that. It would seem that I've not only lost part of my mind since the encounter, but most of my manners as well. I… I am so grateful that you are here. That you haven't walked out. That you are willing to bunker down with me. So go. Take your shower. We can talk more about our course of action in a bit. Or even hold off 'til the mornin'. "

Hellboy pressed his lips together and bit the inside of his cheek. Looking at the earnest expression of hope on her face, he felt his blood pressure lower. Suddenly, a weight lifted from his broad shoulders. Now, there was even ground and mutual respect. Gone was the suspicion and caution that had radiated from Jade since they met. He was almost ready to drop his wariness. "You absolutely sure?"

"Honestly?" Jade arched a brow and as it fell back into place, exhaustion washed over her features. "I'm not sure of anything any more. But that's not changing the gratitude I feel for your being here and essentially babysitting me as well as working on this case. So go shower. I know you're beat. I'll call for that cot."

Hellboy just nodded his head and unzipped his suitcase, riffling for some clean clothes to sleep in. He kept his comments to himself about the travesty of having to share sleeping quarters with Jade. There was no way Hellboy would let his professionalism slip and reveal in any way he thought she was charming. Closing his luggage, he resolved to put all thoughts out of his head and to focus only on making her home safe.


	5. Chapter 5

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

**A/N:** I went slightly non-canon, making Trevor Bruttenholm a professor at New York University. I know Kate Corrigan had that job title, but I took some artistic license. Thank you for your understanding.

* * *

Jade glanced up, startled, when Hellboy walked back into the room. She was so engrossed in her task that his quiet tread caught her off-guard and her frustration with the cot was momentarily forgotten. Instead, Jade's gaze followed his form as he maneuvered around the furniture. Her breath hitched slightly as her glance quickly turned to gawk as she admired his figure. 

He was bare-chested and the expanse seemed to fill the room. A large white towel was slung casually over his right shoulder while moisture still clung to his body, the lights from the room causing his red skin to glow. Adjusting the waistband of his black cotton pants of which, Jade noticed, had a cutout for his tail, Hellboy was humming an unidentifiable tune. His tail swished in time.

"Hey you," she said softly.

Hellboy stopped mid-stride, then tried to fight the smirk that twitched at the corners of his mouth. Jade was sitting on one half of the cot, desperately trying to push the other half into position. But she was only able to release the folding bed so that the frame was opened to a 90-degree angle. As humorous as it was to watch Jade fight with the makeshift bed, Hellboy had to admit that she looked quite fetching in her tank top and boxer shorts. So a part of him was thrilled she hadn't completed her task and was still yet to be burrowed under the blanket.

_Down boy, down._

He wasn't much for body modifications, but Hellboy had to admit the tattoo sleeves worked for her. When he was looking at the injuries on her arms, Hellboy hadn't taken the time to notice the images adorning her skin. But from across the room he was able to ascertain a pirate theme on her left arm, complete with a Jolly Roger flag, a sunken treasure chest and mermaids, and an abstract collection of brightly colored swirls, swoops and lines that encompassed her right arm from high up on her shoulder to just before her wrist. The amount of time and energy that went into the artwork had to be into the double digits of hours.

He was surprised to see her legs ink free, save for a tattoo on the top of her left foot. Not that he was complaining; there was nothing like long, bare legs. Especially ones like hers that seemed to extend up for miles and ended into loose fitting boxer shorts. Hellboy felt his jaw slacken as he admired the view, but just as soon as the realization hit him, he turned away and grabbed a t-shirt to sleep in.

_Rein it in. Now._

"Hey yourself. Need some help?" Hellboy turned and looked in the mirror, watching Jade in the reflection, as he set down the shirt and began to comb his hair.

Glancing at Hellboy out of the corner of her eye, Jade bit her lip in contemplation, mulling over his offer. The cot had actually arrived before Hellboy stepped into the tub and yet she was no closer to completing her task than when he shut the bathroom door behind him and opened up the faucet. _I'm so tired and if he could just figure it out…_

But then a burst of stubbornness filled her. _You're not an idiot… you can do this._ A grimace of irritation washed over her features. "No! But thank you. I'm almost there."

After securing his hair back in a ponytail, Hellboy placed his comb down on the bureau, turned around and crossed the tiny room in three steps. Squatting down next to Jade, he said, "I can tell." He then reached under the frame and unhooked a cord, allowing the cot to open flat.

Hellboy waited for Jade to make some smart-ass comment, but instead she was fixated on his red skin, entranced by the markings on his shoulders and chest. He was used to stares, but it never became any easier. Regretting that he didn't cover himself with the t-shirt, Hellboy pursed his lips and patiently waited for a retort.

None was forthcoming.

The indented runic symbols peppering his skin held Jade's attention, even after Hellboy asked, "You want to take a shower next?"

After a long silence – long enough that Hellboy wondered if Jade heard him – she shook her head and blinked her eyes several times, as if coming back from a daydream. Taking a deep breath, she allowed her eyes to lock with Hellboy's and smiled weakly. "No… no. But thanks. I take my showers in the morning. And I'm sorry – that was so rude of me. It's just that I've never seen anything like… this." Jade waved her hand near the symbols marking Hellboy's skin. "It's almost like branding, but inverse. It's… beautiful. In fact, I have an image on my back very similar to that one." Jade motioned towards an image on his left shoulder.

Wanting nothing more than to melt into the floor, Jade had to force herself not to look away or press her lips together in a nervous gesture. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Not that it wasn't obvious, but you just 'fessed up to checking him out. Smooth move there, smeghead._

Grateful that the blush creeping across his cheeks was masked by his skin color, Hellboy was the first to break eye contact and looked down at the mattress. Not knowing how to respond to the compliment, he instead said, "It's late. We both need to hit the hay. Need help making the bed?"

The gravity of having Hellboy in her motel room – and the reasons behind his appearance – had been weighing heavily on Jade, but her focus on the next day's activities suddenly retreated and the immediacy of the next few hours suddenly hit her like a boulder sliding down a mountain. This wasn't some late-night slumber party. This wasn't two people connecting over some late night coffee. This wasn't complete strangers having a chance meeting and going back to a motel room for a good time. Well, it was two strangers in a motel room, but no good time was to be had. This was the craziest situation she could ever imagine herself in.

Strike that. This was even crazier than Jade could ever imagine.

Hellboy was squatting down on the floor next to her, half dressed, looking at her expectantly. His golden eyes were soft with question. Jade couldn't look him in the eyes, as she could feel them boring right into her, so she allowed her gaze to drop to her lap momentarily. _I can't believe that this is happening! I mean, what happened at the house the other day – yeah – but also the fact that I'm sharing the same breathing space he is. Good God, did I just think that? And hello! He asked you a question. Don't you think you should answer it? _

She raised her gaze up slightly, his jaw entering her line of sight. Not allowing herself to look at his lips, Jade followed the line of his jaw to his right ear. _In his line of work there's no way it would stay in, but he would look so awesome with an earring_. Moving on, she worked her way from his ear to his eyes, getting waylaid in his muttonchops. Moisture still clung in beads to the sideburns framing his face. His horns weren't as short as they normally were when she watched him speak on television. It was… bizarre sitting so close to him, talking to him. She wanted to close her eyes and breathe in the smell of him; a combination of Irish Spring, warm leather and tobacco.

Jade then remembered the question. "Uhm, it's already made. The cots are pre-made. But thank you. And while you were in the shower, the front desk clerk also changed the sheets out on the other bed, so you don't have to worry about that. So, I'm just going to brush my teeth and then it can be 'lights out'."

Hellboy remained squatting next to the bed as he watched Jade retreat into the bathroom. When she was out of sight, he smacked his hand against his forehead and shook his head. She was getting to him. He needed to find a way to get back to business.

Finally standing, Hellboy stretched his arms above his head, his knuckles brushing the ceiling. Despite the exhaustion he was feeling, there was a pent up energy inside of him, too. He sat on the edge of the bed, debating what to do, when he shrugged his shoulders in resignation. Dropping to the floor, he began doing pushups. _Figures that I'm so beat, I hurt… and the only way I'm going to get some sleep is to exercise._

"I do mine in the morning."

Hellboy dropped his knees to the floor and pushed himself back into a kneeling position. Placing his hands on his thighs, he smiled. "So many responses to that statement." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. Especially at the look of shock that painted Jade's features. But then her lips curved into a smile and she laughed.

Jade had been leaning against the wall, watching Hellboy's muscles bunch and contract in his shoulders as he performed his exercise. In addition to brushing her teeth, Jade had switched out her contacts for glasses – a change that Hellboy couldn't help but think was for the better. Pushing off the wall with her foot, Jade clicked off the light above the sink, entered the room and plopped herself onto the cot. "I was talking about pushups, you tool. I always feel energized after about fifty or so. Any less or any more, I'm whupped."

Resuming his exercise, Hellboy grunted out between movements, "See, they help me unwind. No sleep until I get them out of my system."

"Then don't mind me. Go ahead and finish." With that, Jade grabbed a pillow and as she sat on the cot, she slouched against the wall, using it as a make-shift headboard, and shoved the pillow behind her head. She then reached for a magazine tucked into the top of her backpack. Even though she had flipped through the periodical several times over the past few days, Jade couldn't remember a lick of anything in it. In all actuality, she had intended on turning out the lights and going straight to bed, but the thought of Hellboy on the floor next to the cot would keep sleep at bay. Besides, the thought of watching his back and shoulder muscles flex and contract under his skin was too much to pass up.

So, yet again, she was unable to focus on the words in the magazine. It was a tattoo publication that one of her friends had a piece in. Jade had looked at the photo time and time again over the last couple days, marveling at the details of the work, but when she closed her eyes Jade was unable to conjure up the image. Jade knew she was distracted, as she had been since the incident, but now there was more to the equation to make her mind churn. Not only her new roommate, who was in fact very distracting at the moment, but by the events that promised to materialize tomorrow. While Jade was filled with so much hope that all her troubles would be gone tomorrow, there was also a huge unknown. _What is going to happen?_

Hellboy knew that she was quietly observing him, but figured if she were to keep quiet, he'd follow suit. Except that one thing was nagging in the back of him mind…

"So you really wanted to take one of my father's classes, eh?" he grunted out between clenched teeth.

His question echoed in the silence of the room. It took her a moment to remember mentioning the fact, but once Jade remembered telling Hellboy the statement, she pushed up the glasses she wore further up the bridge of her nose and quickly scrambled to sit upright. "Oh my gosh, yes! I got my MFA at Pratt and always figured that while I was in New York, I would audit one of his classes. In fact, I chose Pratt because of its proximity to NYU. I might have even gone to NYU itself, but they didn't pony up enough money. I always intended on taking a folklore class of your dad's at NYU, even during high school, but by the time I managed to get my sorry butt to New York, I plumb ran out of time and money. Auditing a class at NYU ain't cheap. Especially when paying out-of-state fees."

Hellboy laughed and pushed himself up off the floor and onto the bed. After scratching a horn stump with his left hand, Hellboy stretched his arms high above his head. Jade had to turn away lest she get caught staring. A huge yawn escaped from his mouth, which he quickly clamped with a hand, then allowed himself to plop back on the bed.

"Ain't nothin' in New York that's cheap. 'Cept maybe some of the tourists. But why a folklore class? And why his?" he asked, sleepily.

Jade held her upper lip between her teeth as she contemplated an answer. Buying some time to formulate a response, she set her magazine under the cot and reached over and turned out the light on the wall. The room was shrouded in darkness.

"Actually, my parents both were professors at universities in St. Louis and while they taught completely different subjects than your father, they had met him at several functions. I never met your father myself, but what my folks told me left such a huge impression that I just had to check him out for myself. Or, at least, I wanted to." Jade wasn't exactly lying, but she also hoped he wouldn't push for details.

Hellboy was quiet a moment, causing Jade to think he had fallen asleep. When he spoke, it startled her, but the kindness in his voice made her heart melt. "It's a real shame that you never got to meet him. He was the most amazing person. I would speak once a semester to his classes, my caseload permitting, and there were some brilliant minds in his classes. And there were times I'd hang out in the hallway or in the storage closet, so as to not cause a stir, just to listen to him lecture with such passion.

"And while it's easy for me to say that you missed out, I think he missed out, too. The students who took his classes, who went on into fields of study mirroring his own… well, they weren't as much of a challenge for him. It was those who took his classes to learn a little something about folklore… or about him… or even about me that pushed him the most. Everybody took his classes for different reasons, but he always wanted to know about what people did with their lives outside of his class and what taking his class would do to impact their lives. And thus, what their input could do to improve his own life. He would have gotten a kick out of you."

Convinced her burning cheeks were glowing in the darkness, Jade rolled onto her side and smiled. For the first time in days, the darkness wasn't her enemy and her muscles were able to relax. Tension hadn't completely left her, but Jade was able to ambulate without feeling like splintering into a million little pieces.

"You know, I have no words to respond to that. It's obvious you and your father were close. I miss my parents immensely, so I can relate. But all we can do is strive to be the person they envisioned us to be. It's obvious that you succeeded in your father's eyes." Jade was a quiet a moment before continuing. "You know, I don't know if this will help – and it's not something that I do very often – but do you mind if I pray? Out loud?"

His voice was so quiet that Jade had to struggle to register his response. "No. Not at all. I think… I think that it would be very… appropriate."

Clearing her throat as she formulated her words, Jade began to chastise herself for doing something so cockamamie. _Who prays out loud?_ But as the self-censure began, it ended with the thought of her parents telling her that while God always listens, He only helps those who attempt to help themselves. She was willing to do what ever it took, but figured having some backup wouldn't hurt.

"I'm not making apologies, by any means, but I do want to explain that as a non-church attending Catholic, I've pieced together bits and pieces of prayers and… whatnot for when I pray. It's been this way since I was little. And while I know that there's no right way or wrong way to pray, I'm sure that my structured way of praying is completely unorthodox. But here goes…

"In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. I ask forgiveness for the sins I have committed and for the sins I shall commit in the future. Please watch over me and those I know, love and care for. As you know, I don't really like to ask for… help for myself. I would rather you help me help others than to ask for direct help for myself. But I want to ask that you watch over me and… protect me from harm. I ask that you protect… Hellboy…as he helps me tomorrow. That you watch over him and guide him and… give him the means necessary to help those who seek his protection. At all times. Not just tomorrow, but for always.

"I ask that you give comfort to those who are alone, sick, sad and confused. That you empower those who use their lives to raise up others. That you give those without love in their hearts, the ability to find love. And please tell my folks that I love them. That I think about them and miss them dearly, but know that I shall meet them again someday. And please tell Hellboy's father, Professor Bruttenholm, that his son misses him. And loves him. Thank you. Amen."

"Amen."

His voice, echoing her closure, startled her back from her reverie. As Jade prayed, her eyes closed and as she nestled into bed, she had forgotten the motel room and circumstances leading to the two of them being there. When reality came crashing back down on her once again, Jade decided to call it a night.

"Hey, I can't keep my eyes open, so… uhm… pleasant dreams."

A low rumbling chuckle was his immediate reaction. Turning on his side so he faced the window and door, a safety mechanism that saved his hide more than once, Hellboy smiled to himself. "Pleasant dreams to you, too."


	6. Chapter 6

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all save, for my own original characters.

* * *

Jade sighed in frustration and tossed back her blanket in disgust, then swung her legs over the side of the cot and rubbed her face. There was no way sleep was going to pull her back under. She pressed a button on her watch and the face illuminated, telling her it was 4:17. It had to be approaching an hour since slumber abandoned her. She looked over at the bed and saw the shadow of the agent sharing her motel room. In the dim light peeking around the curtain, Jade could barely make out the indented designs marking his skin. She sighed again and stood up. 

Jade had to admit that she found Hellboy intriguing, which was exactly what she was afraid of. When he had disappeared earlier into the bathroom to take a shower before bed, Jade allowed her thoughts to wander in there with him. Thoughts that were very inappropriate for the situation she was having him exterminate. After finding out that it was demons that had attacked her, Jade wondered if her musings weren't residual trauma from the incident. But she knew that couldn't be it; it wasn't because Hellboy was part demon, or even male, that she had put in a request for a female agent.

Feeling her way through the dark, Jade found her backpack and pulled out her laptop before settling back on her cot. She flipped open her computer and started it up. After connecting to the Internet through the phone jack, Jade did a search on the word_ incubus_. She sucked in her breath at the amount of results that showed up, then let out the breath in a long, frustrated sigh. Darting a glance over towards Hellboy, who continued to slumber on his side, Jade began to look for a description of the demon that supposedly attacked her and her sister.

After a few moments, Jade happened upon a web page that talked of incubi looking rather like an amoeba, but much larger in size. About the size of a placemat, an incubus was seemingly made of see-through fluid and sparkled from within. It moved in an irregular pattern and pulsated red from the effort.

_I just wish I could remember what they looked like._

Running her hand through her hair, Jade continued her search. She was just about to give up when a page appeared in her results that looked promising. After scrolling through a lot of useless info, Jade let out a slow breath while reading yet another version of an incubus description. Nothing registered in the reading except for the "two small horns" and "yellow, slitted eyes."

_Oh God. I need to stop doing this. No fishing, Jade. Shut it off right now. Just let him do his job and get him the heck back to where he'd rather be. Lord only knows that you should be grateful for his help. He's helped so many other people. Why can't you just appreciate his willingness to… _

Jade tilted her head back and stared into the darkness above her. Her eyes burned from lack of sleep, so she closed them momentarily. The pressure on her neck felt wonderful, but Jade knew that eventually she'd tip over backwards if the position was kept up. Reluctantly, she raised her head and returned her gaze to the screen.

_You're just scared because you requested a female agent. Because you knew you'd feel conflicted. Because as the solution, he's not that different than the problem. Because you've had this schoolgirl crush on him for years and now you're faced with a terrifying reality overriding your fantasy. Just get through the rest of the day, okay? Just get through the rest of today._

Behind her, Jade heard rustling, as if bedding were being tossed aside, and then heard the wall lamp being flicked on. She froze. A warm glow illuminated the room. The dull sound of feet hitting the carpeted floor filled the chamber. Jade quickly exited her web browser and slowly turned to face Hellboy.

"I'm part of the reason you can't sleep," he said quietly, leaning against the dresser. Hellboy ran his hands over his face to rub the sleep away, then ran his fingers through his hair. He then readjusted the waistband of his cotton pants while he waited for her to comment.

Jade was mesmerized by the rhythm Hellboy's tail beat against the wood drawer front and didn't answer right away. It was better than staring at his broad expanse of chest. Hellboy cleared his throat, interrupting Jade's reverie, expecting a response to his statement.

_At least she has the decency to blush. _

"Bah. I didn't mean to wake you up. And, no, it's not you, but rather what you said earlier. Having you here certainly makes me feel safer, but I can't stop my mind from working overtime. Even though I've slept since the attack, albeit in fits and spurts, I can't seem to stay asleep tonight for fear it'll happen again. I'm sorry if I woke you up, but let's go back to bed." Jade was mentally willing Hellboy to believe her and agree to hitting the hay. She knew sleep would elude her, but Jade didn't want to explain that having a bright red demon in her motel room was causing her a might bit of anxiety, even though Hellboy had reassured her that he had her best interests at heart.

Crossing his arms across his bare chest, his oversized right hand laying on top of his left arm, Hellboy regarded her silently. There was no way Jade was going to get any sleep until they cleaned the house of the incubi and made sure they didn't follow her anywhere else. If they did indeed hang around. He could read her body language as if she were screaming her feelings at him, and Hellboy could see that she clung to every word he said but still held him at arm's length. _Or even further._

He rolled his shoulders, his muscles already on fire from exhaustion. Even if he went back to bed, no sleep would come. Not when Jade was up, surfing the Internet, looking for information on the events that were even yet to unfold. Wearily, Hellboy said, "Let's go to the house. I don't know why I said that we should wait until morning. Once the house is purged and we've proven, without a doubt, that they're banished, you'll finally feel safe. And, thus, feel free to sleep." _God knows we both could use some shut-eye._

Hellboy watched as relief washed over her features. It was as if a light went on inside of her. The glow that radiated out of every pore made her just luminous. But just as quickly, she masked her features, a look of concern entering her eyes. The light was extinguished.

Jade looked at him with complete horror, guilt shining in her eyes. He had to be bone-weary. She knew that Hellboy would not admit it to her, but Jade could tell that he was barely hanging on by a thread. "You have to be exhausted. No. No, go back to sleep and we'll go as planned. I… I need to… No. I _have_ confidence in you. I do. And I'll have more when you get some more sleep behind you."

Hellboy pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. There was an unspoken 'but' somewhere waiting to be released from Jade's thoughts; he could hear it louder than if she actually spoke it. He looked over at the alarm clock and rubbed his hand across his mouth. It was early, but nothing he hadn't seen before.

He walked over to his suitcase and started pulling clothes out to wear for the day's activities. No sense putting off the inevitable. "Listen, I'm starving. I could fall back asleep, but it's not too likely. And if I do, the dreams I'll have will be weird because of the fact that I'm hungry. So, you know of any joints around here that serve breakfast this early?"

Jade closed her eyes, guilt washing over her. Never in a million years did she intend on waking up Hellboy in her online search. And just because she couldn't sleep, that didn't mean she wanted company. In fact, it was more like just the opposite. Jade wanted some time to herself – to research – before she spoke with Hellboy. But it looked like having time to herself, to collect her thoughts in a manner other than frantically pushing aside crazed points of view bombarding her brain while attempting to sleep, was not going to happen. "The front desk is gonna have a Continental breakfast starting at five thirty. I need to take a shower before we roll, but I'm pretty sure we'll get first pickin's."

His brow furrowed and his nose wrinkled up. Continental breakfast almost always equated to bread, bagels and cereal. And fruit. Nothing of any substance and certainly the carbs were only going to give them a short energy boost before having them feel even more exhausted. "No. Uhm, no. That crap isn't enough to fill anybody up right. I'm talking about something like a 24-hour joint. You know, greasy spoon-like. Something with substance. Stuff that'll stick to your ribs and carry you throughout the day."

Biting her lip in thought, Jade stood up and began to absently walk around the room, randomly picking up items and then setting them back down. She felt very detached, as if watching her own life like it was a movie, but also felt very heavy and that every movement was heightened. She absently picked up her hairbrush and began to run it through her curls. "Hmm. There's a truck stop at the highway exit we need to take to get to the house. Used to eat there all the time when I was a teenager. Great food back then. Can't imagine it would be any different now-a-days."

A truck stop. With, he presumed, some of the best food around. The men who frequented such places wouldn't put up with bad grub and were looking for a meal just as hearty as Hellboy was. "Sounds like a plan. We'll hit that after you shower. While you're cleaning up, I'll mosey over to the front desk to pick up a box or two my partner – Abe – said he supposedly over-nighted. It's a bunch of 'remedies' that should help in cleansing your home."

Jade looked confused and kept brushing her hair well past the need to do so. "Uhm, you showed up less than ten hours ago. How could anything have shown up that quick? 'Cuz, your headquarters are in Connecticut, if I recall correctly." The surreal situation was ever more bizarre with each passing moment.

Hellboy chuckled softly to himself as he pulled some clothes out of his suitcase. _Freaks everyone out when they realize the government is actually the scary, omnipotent… corporation people fear it is. Freaks everyone out... Now if that isn't a Freudian choice of words. _ "Ah, you forget that I work for a government agency. We give new meaning to the term 'overnight.' We can get something anywhere we want, within such an incredible timeframe that it even boggles my mind. And I'm a part of it, ya know? If what he texted me is right, the box – or boxes – has been sitting there for hours."

Jade screwed her mouth up in exasperation. Of course Big Brother was alive and well. Out of everything that was happening, why was it was the fact that items could show up out of thin air that surprised Jade? But then there was a twinkle in his eye that suddenly appeared. He was enjoying a laugh at her expense, which she didn't mind. But did he have to look so gleeful so early in the morning?

She watched him get his toiletries together and quickly start to make his bed. Jade shook her head as she migrated off the cot and towards her suitcase. "I'm going to hit the shower and see if I can wash this… sluggishness off of me."

Hellboy nodded his head, then shrugged his shoulders, which made Jade think of mountains rising and lowering with the ages. "Fat chance. But while you're getting cleaned up, I'm going to see what my partner sent and have a smoke or two. Enjoy."


	7. Chapter 7

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Mentally chastising himself for sitting back down on the bed rather than getting dressed, Hellboy lay back and listened as the water began to run in the bathroom. First, it trickled out of the faucet, and then with a loud clunk, it shot out of the showerhead. Hellboy knew he should be taking this time to change into clothes himself, but it was much nicer to think of Jade _out_ of her clothes. 

_I wonder what she's… Shit! Stop thinking that way. Just get dressed and then get some fresh air to clear your head. God knows you need it._

Hellboy sat back up and shook his head vigorously, banging his left palm against his forehead several times. _Focus, focus, focus! Jade is a case, nothing more._

A case that was younger and hipper than any other one in previous memory.

Hellboy leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and rubbed his hands across his face. He looked at his right hand and sighed. He needed coffee. And bad. A long day stretched out ahead of them and if he didn't set his mind on the course of action needed, he would be useless to poor Jade. Caffeine and cigarettes got him through most cases and while there was nary a coffeepot in the room, there was a pack of cigs in his coat pocket.

Grabbing the clothes he had pulled out of his suitcase earlier, Hellboy changed quickly; the promise of a cigarette was his reward for being in street clothes before Jade came out of the shower. As he pulled a black t-shirt down across his stomach, Hellboy managed to glance at himself in the mirror. And sighed in resignation.

There was a reason he was the best in the business.

He wasn't really any different than the creatures he fought. His bright red skin, oversized right hand, horn stumps and tail kept him from fitting in anywhere. Kept him from making any real friends… save those he worked with. Kept him from being comfortable – anywhere.

Sighing, he turned away from the mirror and grabbed his duster, donned it, then headed for the door, but not before grabbing the key card. There had to be a coffee machine somewhere on the premises; probably along with a soda and snack dispenser. He'd slip away and be back before Jade could even miss him.

Figuring that vending machines would be as far from the honky-tonk as possible, Hellboy pulled a cigarette from his coat and lit it as he walked through the dim parking lot. The silence was comforting, settling on his shoulders like a mantle. It was too early for the hum of morning commuter traffic. It wasn't light enough for the birds to be singing. It was just him and the quiet sky.

Which allowed his thoughts to wander.

A young woman, terrified and confused, was waiting for him to fix the mess she had accidentally gotten herself in – through no fault of her own. Or so he hoped. There was the possibility the two sisters conjured up the incubi and then freaked out once the damage was done. If that was the case, then either the demons would have followed them or he would be walking into a hornet's nest later.

_But Jade doesn't seem like the type. She's pretty down to earth and seems to have a level head on her shoulders. She really doesn't seem like most of your recent cases that created most of their own problems. _

But he had been wrong before.

Taking a deep drag of the cigarette, Hellboy looked up and saw the last of the evening's stars twinkling its goodbyes._ And usually, your cases don't share sleeping quarters with you or remind you of last month's centerfold. Could it be you're projecting your feelings, old man?_ He sighed, opening the door to the vending room. Jade needed his help and once the job was closed, he'd move on to the next case.

Pulling some change out of his front pants pocket, Hellboy slid the coins into the machine, punched a sequence of buttons and watched as a cup fell into place and then fill with coffee. The overhead fluorescent lights hummed and cast a sickly pall over the room. He rubbed his nose and took a long drag from his cig, letting the nicotine burn his lungs and course through his veins. He needed to come up with a plan of action. But that wouldn't happen until he picked up his package from the front desk. Knowing there would be very little, if anything, in an email that wasn't already in the parcel, Hellboy grabbed his cup of coffee and headed to the lobby.

Opening the door to the lobby, Hellboy once again was greeted by the same gentleman who grudgingly parted with Jade's note almost a half day before. Suppressing .a sigh, he meandered over to the front desk. _Well ain't this gonna be fun?_

"Mornin'. I'm expecting a package or two. Were any delivered recently?" Hellboy set his cup of coffee on the check-in desk and then leaned forward, resting his weight on his forearms on the countertop, trying to diminish his height as much as possible. He also kept the tone of his voice cheerful and upbeat, hoping the desk clerk would be more amiable in this go-round.

Instead, the clerk yawned and turned his back. "Maybe."

Trying not to sigh in frustration, Hellboy fished his wallet out and set it on the counter, his badge and credentials out. "Maybe, huh? Listen, sir, I don't really have time for this. Would you just mind looking? And if it's here, will you kindly hand over the box so I can be out of your hair? But please, don't impede a government investigation. I'm not sure why we got off on the wrong foot, but I can promise you that you won't see me again after this."

Muttering under his breath, the old man shot a glare at Hellboy, then walked into another room. He returned a few moments later, setting two large boxes on the desk and shoving them towards Hellboy before walking away again.

Rolling his eyes, Hellboy silently took the boxes and headed back out to the parking lot. Taking one last drag of his cig, he paused and made sure the clerk saw him drop it on the pavement. With a flick of his tail, Hellboy shook his head, smirking to himself, and made his way back to the room. Halfway there, he realized he left his cup of coffee in the lobby. _Crap. Well, ain't this starting out to be a peachy day?_

Figuring it would be pointless to grab another cup, Hellboy made for his rental vehicle and stuck the boxes in the backseat. Shutting the door with a loud thud that echoed in the stillness, Hellboy felt an extra spring in his step as he made his way back to the door of the room. This was it, the start of his assignment. Reaching the door, he paused a moment before sliding the key into the slot. On the other side of the door was the rest of his day.

Removing the keycard from the slot, Hellboy opened the door and was surprised to not only see Jade dressed, but waiting expectantly for him to return. Dressed in a scoop-neck t-shirt that showed enough curve of breast to register on Hellboy's radar and enough arm to showcase her ink, Jade was laying back on Hellboy's bed, propped up on her elbows with the remote control in hand, mindlessly flipping through the limited cable channels on the television.

Turning away from the depression the networks called news, Jade looked at Hellboy with a furrow in her brow and concern in her eyes. "Dude, where've you been? I was starting to get worried!"

The earnest tone in Jade's voice made him want to smile, but instead, Hellboy squatted down by his suitcase. In a leather satchel, tucked away amongst his clothes, Hellboy kept his equipment for his assignments. Not knowing what to expect or what he might need, Hellboy pulled the bag from his luggage. Despite the proximity to her legs, Hellboy was grateful for the ability to speak with Jade without having to look her directly in the face.

"Had to get the items sent to me from the front desk. Again, the gent behind the counter was a breath of fresh air. And while I was out and about, I sought out a vending machine so I could get some coffee. I didn't think to bring you any back. Sorry."

Jade smiled to herself and shook her head. Hellboy was still at her feet, despite pulling out a bag from his suitcase. She found it amusing that he was still rifling through his belongings, despite having found what he was looking for. "No worries. So… once you find what you're looking for down there, any ideas on the next plan of attack?"

He finally made eye contact. "Nothing gets done 'til my belly gets full. Let's get some chow."

Hellboy stood, satchel in hand and with a glance over the room, headed for the door. Jade nodded her head in agreement and grabbed the jacket laying next to her on the bed, following Hellboy's retreating back out into the parking lot.


	8. Chapter 8

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

"Coffee. Black." 

The waitress, a short, squat woman who wore her hair in a tightly-bound beehive and whose mouth was pursed as if having just sucked a lemon, nodded curtly and quickly retreated to the beverage counter, hiding behind a partition that still let her peek out and watch the duo. Hellboy randomly wondered if the puckering of her mouth was a direct result of the tightness of her hairdo.

"Charming," Jade muttered under her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the slightest smile dance across Hellboy's lips as he acknowledged Jade's sentiment.

Jade knew that Hellboy was aware of the waitress' fear – how could he not be, the waitress was so overt with her contempt – but he took the high road and ignored the near-tangible trepidation the woman emitted. Instead, Hellboy perused the menu's list of options, quietly humming to himself.

His finger skimmed over the well-beaten, mimeographed menu that looked like it was born a million years earlier. Looking up from her own equally battered list of options, Jade smiled wanly as Hellboy enthusiastically grunted over the choices. It dawned on her that she didn't even need to look at the menu to make a choice; in the course of her life, Jade had sat in the truck stop too many times to count. The menu had not changed in all those years, saved for the whited-out prices that were hand-written back in. She was able to close her eyes and see the selections… even after all these years. Looking at the laminated sheet in Hellboy's hand, she wondered how many times she had held the exact same menu he himself was holding.

"So, I take it you've eaten here a million times before?"

Hellboy's question startled Jade, who was in the middle of taking a sip of water, causing her to choke. After finally regaining her breath, she slowly nodded her head and answered, "Maybe not quite _that_ many, but yeah. Lots. Why?"

"Well, what's good here? Or, rather, what looks good to you?"

Shrugging, she said, "I've been trying to figure that out. I'm just not that hungry. Probably nerves. So maybe a bagel and some cream cheese. I dunno."

A snort of incredulity was Hellboy's response. He slung his arm across the seat back and turned slightly in the seat, his eyes on the counter and the patrons huddled over their food. Food. He was famished and all she wanted was a bite? First of all, with all the delectable smells wafting from the kitchen, how could she not be starving? And second, he certainly would never have pegged her for the type to eat like a bird. Throwing a glance in her direction out of the corner of his eye, Hellboy had to admit that her pale skin looked bloodless. _Ah, nerves. I guess I'm too jaded – ironic choice of words there – to remember that feeling._

Rolling her eyes, she smirked. "Alrighty then, smart guy. What are you going to have?"

His smile reflected in his eyes, causing them to glow golden. A hearty laugh filled the air and wrapped around her like a blanket. It was almost enough to put her at ease. Not quite, but almost. "What am I not? Pamcakes, definitely pamcakes. Bacon. Eggs. Maybe hashed browns. Cinnamon raisin toast sounds good, too. You can't just have a bagel if I'm gonna eat all that. And I'm definitely going to eat all that. Do you like eggs, because the carbs in that bagel are gonna give you just a short boost and then you're gonna crash. The protein in the eggs are gonna carry you a lot farther."

If she wasn't so tired and so tense, Jade would have laughed at the concern in his voice, but instead she acquiesced. "Will French toast and scrambled eggs be sufficient?"

"Ooh! French toast sounds good, too!"

In the end, when the waitress finally returned with not only Hellboy's coffee mug but two full pots, Hellboy ordered a full stack of pancakes, two sides of bacon, an order of scrambled eggs and an order of over-easy eggs, well-done hashed browns, French toast and cinnamon raisin toast – sans butter. Jade settled on a cheese omelet and wheat toast, although she debated over adding on bacon. But the waitress, who was nearing the end of a double shift started tapping her pencil against her order pad in impatience, causing Jade to clam up and hand off the menu, effectively deciding against a side order of meat.

After the waitress scurried away with their order, Jade glanced around the restaurant and smiled as she spotted the jukebox she had frequented many times, and many years, before. "Hey, while we're waiting, you mind if I go feed the jukebox so we can have some tunes while we formulate a plan?" Jade started to slide out of the booth while waiting for Hellboy to answer.

Reaching into his back pocket, Hellboy tugged his wallet out. Pulling a dollar bill free from the bundle, he placed it on the tabletop and slid it towards Jade. "Knock yourself out. My treat. Just nothing too loud. Too early for loud."

A lopsided smile was his reward. Palming the bill, Jade winked and was out of the booth, halfway across the restaurant, without a word. Hellboy turned in the seat and watched as Jade bent over the jukebox, her hair curtaining her features. With a shake of his head, he looked a moment longer and then turned back to the table.

Noticing the phone available for truckers, or whomever, to call their families, Hellboy inspected the mechanism carefully. Yes, there was the ability to connect a laptop and use a dial-up connection to check email. _It's been nearly a week. God knows what my backlog must be. _With a sigh, he reached for his bag and pulled out his computer, then looked for the appropriate cords to surf the Internet.

Jade punched the last button to complete her selections, then glanced around the restaurant. It had been about ten years since she had stepped foot in the truck stop, but even now, it stilled looked like it was 1974 in the place. Almost antiseptic in its cleanliness, the restaurant was anything but warm and comforting, despite the comfort food on the menu. Blinding white walls were complemented by equally blinding linoleum. The booths were covered in an avocado green vinyl that Jade thought was hideous back in the day, with her opinion still the same. But despite its Spartan appearance, Jade was grateful for the… sameness after all these years. The pie carousel with homemade pies made fresh daily, the little gift shop filled with tacky souvenirs and touristy tchotchkes, the landscape paintings hanging on the walls created by a local artist that had never sold.

With a rueful smile and with one last look at the choices, Jade wrapped her arms around herself and made her way back to the table.

"Pick anything good?"

Jade's brow furrowed in feigned insult as she slid into the booth seat. "Rude! Like you should even ask! Eleven songs for a buck. I can't remember 'em all, but some of 'em were: Bobby Darrin's_Beyond the Sea_, Toby Keith's _Shoulda Been a Cowboy_, Peter, Paul and Mary's_Leavin' on a Jet Plane_, Otis Redding's _Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay_, Tom Wait's _Eggs and Sausage_ – because what's a more appropriate song to play here than that – and Roy Orbison's _Anything You Want_. Work for you?" She then flashed him a dazzling smile, knowing her choices were a bit of a surprise to him.

Hellboy took a moment to answer. Oldies? Country? Tom Waits? Stuff he might have picked? There had to be newer songs to pick from. _Huh, who woulda thunk_? "Uh, yeah. Great choices. Thanks."

About to bellyache about the lack of food waiting for her at the table, Jade saw the laptop Hellboy was fiddling with. "Oh my God! That's the funniest thing ever!" Her reaction even garnered a finger point to further emphasize her mirth.

His brow furrowed in confusion. Looking over at Jade, he wanted to laugh along with her, but Hellboy had no idea as to why she found his laptop amusing. "What is?"

Jade stopped laughing, incredulous that Hellboy was unaware that the neon green laptop in his hand is what caused her amusement. She wanted to run her hand over the furrow in his brow, smoothing his forehead, to let him know that he wasn't the source of her laughter, but instead settled for running her hand along the sleek exterior of the laptop.

"Uhm, an Alienware laptop?" she asked, looking up, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Alienware for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense? _Alienware_? While arguably the best computers on the market and certainly no surprise that the government would spring the bucks for this, that's very, very funny. C'mon! There's some irony there. And why am I the only one who sees it? You're looking at me like I'm somebody who got a weekend pass from the institute who should have it revoked. I just think Alienware versus the types of… entities you fight are very close in name. Now I'll grant you, while not only the best laptops on the market, they are the best looking. I mean, have you seen a cooler laptop than that one right there? It's green, dude, with… black rubber 'gills.' Heavy to carry – although that doesn't seem to be an issue for you – but amazing in speed, despite the fact that I hear they have average battery lives."

Hellboy looked at the laptop and then smiled. It had never occurred to him that the computer was any different than any other. He could agree with the cool color assessment, but electronics were not his forte. Shrugging his shoulders, he flipped open the screen. "So you some kind of computer geek?"

"Hardly. They're just bitchin' lookin'. I'm a girl; I like pretty things. And while not pretty per se, they look better than anything else out there on the market. Maybe some day I can afford to get one. But until then, I was going to settle for admiring them from afar. But now it's all about the laptop envy. Thanks a lot." Jade hid her smile by taking another drink of her juice. The nerves that woke her up were gaining momentum and Jade knew that she was beginning to border on manic. But she just needed to have faith in the agent sitting across from her. Closing her eyes, she focused on taking a deep breath and the release of it.

Shaking his head slowly, Hellboy ran his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip. He needed to focus rather than banter with Jade. Concentrate on the task at hand. Fix the problem and get out. "Okay, so game plan time. And the game plan is simple. My partner, Abe, sent us items to banish and or purge the incubi from the house. It'll be simple to do, just time intensive to carry out. And while I stand by what I said earlier about being able to eradicate them and that they're low in the demonic scale, they can be pesky."

"Pesky isn't a word I'd use," Jade said, acidly. She quietly observed the agent over the brim of her glass of orange juice before lowering her lashes and taking a sip. Jade hated that her words came across so bitchy, but maybe it was better this way. Maybe is she played it rather coldly, Jade could keep her underlying current of interest at bay.

Hellboy sighed deeply, realizing his verbal faux pas. Pouring himself another cup and then taking a quick swig of his coffee, he let the caffeine settle his slowly fraying nerves. This was going so wrong. Why on earth did he think it a good idea to include Jade in the cleansing? "Right. Wrong choice of words. That was very insensitive of me. But, if you will forgive my lapse of judgment, I'd like for you to go with me to the house, which isn't normally something I have people do, but your presence is going to attract them more than mine will. However, if you don't want to do this, I'll completely understand. Your safety is most important and I don't want you to feel threatened in any way. If the idea of going back to the house makes you uneasy, then I'll drop you back off at the motel and will go to the house alone."

Jade set her jaw and ground her teeth. Going back to the house was the last thing she wanted to do, but if she had to go, there was no one she'd rather have go with her than Hellboy. How was she to answer him? She looked at the ceiling, noticing the pattern of dots in the tiles and smiled slightly because it reminded her of the star charts she studied in school. Hearing his not-so-subtle cough, Jade shook her head slightly and looked at him, her lips mashed together in contemplation. Why… why did she have to be involved with the cleansing of the house? This was why she put in the call to the Bureau, wasn't it? His eyes bore into hers, demanding an answer either way. Still not commenting, she sighed and crossed her arms across her chest, settling into the booth back. She felt like she was between a rock and a hard place. Or, as her mother used to say instead, betwixt the devil and the deep blue sea.

Once her mother's phrase entered her head, Jade sat up straighter. The answer just clicked. But the answer was not necessarily one she embraced. "I'm sorry. I… I'm in. Whatever you need me to do, whatever you need me to know, I'm in."

"Good. So… Here's what we can do. Because they aren't… complex entities, we can use basic household items to eradicate the incubi. Exorcism doesn't work on them. Relics, prayers, holy water, none of that works. Nothing religious, at least. Incubi are evil. The best way to deal with them is to expel evil. It's best to banish on the night of a full moon, which lucks seems to be on our side for tonight. There's garlic, which is not only good for banishing vampires, but also to drive out incubi. Of course, the two are closely related, but that's a whole other lesson. We can tie a stone with a naturally worn hole above your bed to keep them at bay. Eating artichokes will protect you, although that's your call. The peony flower, either in conjunction with coral and flint or on its own, repels incubi. A cauldron in the room is good. And salt. There's lots we can do with salt."

"You mentioned salt in the bedding last night. Household salt?" Jade bit her lip in concern, looking away from Hellboy and at the well-worn linoleum floor. Blinking back a headache, she rolled her head from side to side. Household items to banish demons? No, this wasn't what she called the Bureau for.

"Yup. Salt," he said with finality. He then poured himself another cup of coffee, offering no further explanation.

Her brow furrowed deeper as the word sank in. "Just to recap, you've gotten rid of these before?"

Hellboy took a long sip, then set the mug down. Tugging on his soul patch, he considered his words. After a moment, he leaned forward, chin cupped in hand. "I have. Several times. Just not recently. Now, not to be crude, but with the amount of people seeking relations with both incubi and their alter egos, succubi, my requests for exterminations have gone down. I mean, after the flick, 'The Entity' came out in the early '80's, people became obsessed with the phenomenon and I had several calls, but nothing really came of them. Then requests tapered off as it went out of style. Now don't be giving me that look. It's just that when pop culture embraces a craze, I tend to get a little busier. When it leaves the public's mind, I go back to dealing with entities they don't even know exist. And with incubi, they generally stick to the target they initially attacked. And while they did indeed attack you, it was your sister who bore the brunt of it. And without her here, we are facing a tougher go of it."

At that moment, the waitress swept in with a tray full of food. Which she quickly set before the two and then, without giving either of them a chance to ask for anything, swept back to the kitchen.

"Guess soup's on, huh?" Jade asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She is a breath of fresh air. Or, as you referred to her earlier, charming," Hellboy agreed as he stabbed into his French toast.

Chewing on her bottom lip in debate, Jade took a deep breath and blurted out, "I'm sorry if I just stepped on your toes."

Stopping the arc of his French toast-laden fork just inches from his mouth, Hellboy smirked. "No you're not. But don't worry about it. I actually appreciate your concern for your safety. If you have any questions or comments, don't hold back. Except save them 'til your done eating. This grub looks too good to delay in consuming. Eat up."

Both were silent as they dug in to their food. Jade had no complaints on the status of her food, but was only sorry she didn't get the bacon. _Truly food of the gods_. The more she ate, the hungrier she got. _Ah well, at least I'm not eating cantaloupe chunks at the Continental breakfast the motel puts out. Something hearty was perfect call. But then again, Hellboy has done this once or twice before and I haven't. _

Not that she would ever comment out loud about it, but the look of pleasure that washed over Hellboy's face as Tom Waits began to play warmed Jade to the core. The lack of sleep would certainly add stress to the day, but feeling like they were on the same wavelength really set her mind at ease. Not completely devoid of concern, but much better than she felt five minutes ago.

The silence was comfortable and lasted until both plates were empty. Jade didn't want to hash and rehash what was going to happen, although the salt made her curious. Taking a deep breath, she said, "You know, maybe we should just get out of here and get to the house. Sooner we start, the sooner we get it over with."

"Amen to that, sister. Let's blow this pop stand," Hellboy said, laying a 20-spot on top of the twenty Jade already laid the table and then slid out of the booth, not looking back to make sure that Jade was following him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save fore my own original characters.

* * *

Hellboy took the back roads like a seasoned pro: fast and with little regard to the ribbon of pavement before him. Instead, he was frantically searching the radio frequencies for some rock music. If she hadn't been so concerned for their safety, Jade might have been amused at how delicately he tapped at the frequency buttons with his right hand. Hellboy's attempts at settling on a music station were slow and deliberate, in direct contrast with his road handling skills. After several long moments, he gave up and slammed his weight against the seat back.

"Damn radio! I don't mind country music, but not this early in the morning…"

Jade was relieved that Hellboy went back to paying attention to the road and let go of the breath she had been holding. Not that his driving wasn't impeccable, it's just that the hairpin turns and the screeching of the tires as they held a corner did little to comfort her full stomach. "Here, let me hook up my iPod through the speakers. I'm bound to have something more to your liking than what you're gonna find on the airwaves around here.

Sighing in frustration, Hellboy gestured that the stereo was Jade's. He pulled a pack of cigs from the front pocket of his duster, shook the pack till one popped up higher than the other. Lipping it, he asked, "Mind?"

Jade shook her head in the negative, her ponytail slapping the sides of her neck. "Not at all. I'll just wait till you're done with the lighter."

"There's actually two outlets in this vehicle. See that one there? That's for A/C adaptors."

Suppressing the urge to stick her tongue out at him, she hauled her bag out from the back seat and swung it onto her lap, narrowly avoiding hitting her driver in the head.

A gesture that did not go unnoticed by Hellboy.

After rummaging through her messenger bag, Jade plugged a device into the lighter, pressed a button on the gadget, and turned on her iPod. A heavy rock beat permeated the interior of the vehicle.

"No country. Better?" The smirk on her face nearly caused him to drive off the road in amusement.

Soon Joan Jett's 'Bad Reputation' filled the interior cabin of the vehicle. He smiled. Not music he normally listened to, but still better than listening to a man sing about drinking the heartbreak of a woman's departure away. _Of course, now that I think about it, aren't all songs about regret? All good, or at least well-known, ones? But country songs are so freakin' slow. Maybe the stations are trying to wake people up slowly, but I need something with a little more… not country, to get me going in the morning._

The song ended and slid into another fast tempo. Hellboy had to admit that the music was a vast improvement over the songs that had taunted him on the never-ending sequence of radio stations he had flipped through. Hellboy even began to drum along with his fingers on the steering wheel. Then it dawned on Hellboy what he was listening to.

"Kid Rock?!?" The vehicle swerved slightly as his shock registered.

Jade grabbed at the door handle, an involuntary reaction to the lurching of the vehicle. Once the vehicle righted itself, a smug grin was her response. "Dude, he's my secret indulgence. People give me shit about him all the time, but we all listen to something that someone else will think is crap. And I don't care what they say, he's damn catchy."

Hellboy arched his brow and looked out the window, trying to bite back a comment. Jade was a pistol and giving her crap was so easy and she took it in such stride that Hellboy was almost sorry there was an actual job to be performed. After a deep breath, he took a drag of his cigarette and while his hand was to his mouth, muttered to himself.

Jade leaned closer to him, hand cupped to ear. "What was that?" It was everything she could do not to giggle.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and then quickly redirected his gaze to the road ahead. Another drag from the cigarette filled his lungs. He was enjoying the banter with her, knowing that soon enough the enjoyment she was feeling now would be replaced with anxiety. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Nothing, my ass. But, whatever." Jade turned away and looked out the window, the rising sun peeking through between the trees lining the road. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as she remembered previous trips down the same ribbon of road with her family. Realizing she was losing the vibe in the car, Jade turned back towards Hellboy and patiently waited for his rebuttal.

Hellboy smiled. People like Jade didn't come along into his life very often. Despite the big middle finger she seemed to give the world around her, Jade was very forthcoming and affable. And despite everything, she had a hell of a sense of humor.

He decided to let her off the hook and 'fess up to what he said. "I said, if you share with so much abandon, then it's not a secret indulgence."

Jade resisted the urge to raspberry in Hellboy's general direction and instead grimaced as she leaned forward, turning up the volume of the next song.

"So what kind of music do _you_ like?"

Hellboy chuckled as he took a drag on his cigarette. "Stuff that you'd consider small time. Although after you picked out Tom Waits earlier, I have to say that you're full of surprises this morning."

Jade furrowed her brow is mild irritation. Why was it that the tattoos meant she liked hard core music? "Alright, I'm game. Try me."

Raising a brow and casting her a glance out of the corner of his eye, then blowing the smoke out, Hellboy replied, "Well, Waits." A pause. "Al Green."

Jade smiled ruefully. So he thought she was without taste… "Love me some Waits. Only sorry the jukebox had just that one song. I've got _Closing Time_, Waits first album. Actually, come to think of it, I have all of his early stuff, thank you very much. And I have Green's _Don't Look Back _on vinyl, which I think was released only in the UK, as well as most of his popular stuff. Just because I've got tats, doesn't make me all rock and roll. Truth be known, there ain't a lot out there that I don't like, but I'm not so much into the angry music. The stuff you like? So not so 'small time.' But I'm guessing I did well back at the stop? No complaints?"

Taking another long drag of his cigarette, Hellboy had to admit that he was floored. He was expecting musical taste that wasn't quite so… developed. But who was he to judge? "No, no. You chose… wisely."

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade."

He laughed and shook his head. He hadn't been intentionally quoting the film, but the fact that she plucked the phrase and plugged into her mental movie database impressed him. Looking at Jade out of the corner of his eye, Hellboy was going to comment but saw her looking out the window, her fingers randomly tracing designs on the glass. It hadn't occurred to him that not only was it terrifying for her to go back to the house where the event took place, but also the fact that Jade was now going back to her parents' house without the benefit of her sister. More than just the obvious demons to fight.

"Hey, things are gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine. Your sister is gonna be fine. I promise."

A low chuckle, no rumor ringing in the tone, was her immediate response. Then she whispered, "We can talk more about that when this is all over. Being fine is relative. Not looking past today."

Hellboy flicked his cigarette butt out the window. He wasn't very good at comforting people. He was a get in, get the job done and get out kind of guy. If he worked with another agent on a case, Hellboy usually left the calming to his partner. Tugging on his soul patch, Hellboy got lost in trying to find words for Jade that he almost didn't hear her.

"Turn left onto the next driveway." Jade turned away from the window, a sad smile curving her lips. "That's my house."


	10. Chapter 10

**Obligatory disclaimer: **Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

The home was a gorgeous two-story, wood-shingled home with a deep wrap-around porch. Even from the outside, Hellboy could tell that it was the perfect place for a family to summer. Huge windows reflected back the blue sky and white clouds. White rocking chairs lazily rocked in the breeze. A privacy fence with a beautiful moon gate edged the property's perimeter. A brick-lined gravel-filled driveway led visitors from the street to the home. Despite the cheeriness of the dwelling, Hellboy knew that the reason for his own presence was chilling. 

Pulling the SUV into the driveway and sliding the gearshift into park, Hellboy turned to face Jade. She looked as if she were going to her own execution. He closed his eyes and rubbed his brow in an attempt to come up with a pep talk. In the end, Hellboy realized that honesty was the only route he could take. "I want you to know that you're being very brave. Not everyone could do this."

She tore her gaze from the air vent on the dashboard and looked at Hellboy, a mix of fear, contempt and irritation reflecting in her eyes. One hand reached blindly for the door handle. Unbuckling her seatbelt and opening the passenger side door, unable to maintain eye contact, Jade muttered, "I haven't done it yet."

Sighing deeply, Hellboy hopped out of the vehicle cab and made his way to the back of the SUV. Popping open the cargo door, he grabbed the boxes of supplies out of the back of the vehicle, then followed Jade up the drive and onto the front porch. He watched her attempt to open the front door once, twice, three times, her trembling fingers missing the keyhole every time. Gently, Hellboy took Jade's hands in his own and helped her open the front door. When she drew back, as if the inviting interior was anything but, Hellboy walked in ahead, hoping that would give Jade the confidence she needed to walk in on her own.

Hearing her footsteps, tentative and hesitant on the hardwood floor behind him, gave Hellboy the freedom to continue his exploration. Not turning to face Jade, rather letting her move about at her own speed, Hellboy continued his examination of the home's front room. A grand piano was the only piece of furniture in the room and sat, covered, in front of the window. The lack of furniture and vastness of the room made him feel small – a foreign concept. Hellboy scratched his horn stub as he unhurriedly made his way through to the family room, taking a mental inventory of the floor plan and objects in each room.

"This is a gorgeous home."

His words echoed in the room and Hellboy was satisfied when he heard Jade snort in acknowledgment. Knowing she was ghosting him through the rooms, Hellboy figured she was sticking close out of fear, not because she was being hospitable.

The family room was cavernous. A behemoth fireplace, with an ornate mantel that had to have originated in a home much older than the one it currently lived in, occupied the majority of the largest wall, which stood opposite an open kitchen. A bay window revealed a vast expense of water adjoining the green of the backyard. Sheets covered some of the furniture, protecting it from dust, but a couch and TV were uncloaked. It looked as if Jade had started to open up the house for the season, but got sidetracked.

Hellboy shook his head in bemusement before heading to the kitchen to set the boxes on the countertop. The kitchen was homey; yellow walls with white trim, oak cabinets with stainless steel appliances. He wanted to linger, which was obviously what the designer had in mind, but Hellboy needed to see the rest of the house. He then migrated back through the family room, where he passed Jade – who was heading towards the kitchen – to make his way up the stairs.

The upstairs was actually a half story, but sprawling nonetheless. Sheets covered all surfaces, shrouding the rooms with a sense of remoteness that Hellboy knew was amiss. Too many good times had taken place in the home for there to be sadness permeating from the rooms. Two bedrooms connected via an adjoining bathroom stood on one half of the hallway and then another bedroom with its own bath greeted Hellboy on the other side. A linen closet at the end of the hallway completed the visual inventory.

Retreating back downstairs, he found Jade hugging her arms around herself, absently rubbing her arms. She was gazing into the empty cavern of the fireplace in the family room, memories of the past reliving themselves in her mind. Or so he wanted to believe. Descending the last two steps, he cleared his throat, hoping to snap her attention out of whatever reverie she was lost in, but she continued to be entranced by the empty hearth. He was up next to her before she even noticed his presence, causing her to gasp and jump back when he spoke.

"You doin' okay?"

Her eyes were lidded with sadness and exhaustion, but he had to give her props at the attempt of a smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Truth was, she wanted to thank him for being so concerned, but the words wouldn't formulate. Jade locked gazes with him and took a deep breath, trying to articulate her thoughts. She opened her mouth to reply, but the song 'What You Need' by INXS began to play, startling them both.

After pausing a moment, Jade mouthed "I'm sorry," spun on her heel and dove for her purse to retrieve her cell phone. Looking at the caller ID, she flipped open the phone and said, "Thank God! Took you long enough to let me know you made it back safe! I must have called you a have a dozen times already!" She then began to pace.

"Yeah, an agent arrived yesterday evening. We're at the house now. Just arrived, actually."

Hellboy figured that Jade deserved some privacy, so he relocated to the kitchen. There, he was still able to be seen by Jade, but wasn't an active presence while she took her call. Besides, it gave him a chance to organize his items while formulating a plan of action. And it also gave him a chance to eavesdrop.

"No, no. We just arrived. Haven't done anything yet."

Hellboy began unpacking vials of powder and religious reliquary. He carried his own special kind of spice rack and had enough religious artifacts to make the Vatican jealous. After setting up what fellow agent Liz Sherman referred to as his Shake 'N Bake powders, Hellboy then pondered what other objects to possibly use in the upcoming day. Pulling out several bracelets from a Ziplock baggie of jewelry, Hellboy eyed his choices. Coral. Used for a variety of complaints, it was a well-known repellent of incubi attacks. Of the several coral bracelets in the bag, he picked two... one with beads colored black – which repelled lower energies – and blue – which enhanced psychic awareness.

"Yeah, we think we figured it out. All signs put to an incubus. Or rather, incubi. More than one."

Hellboy cast a glance at Jade as she paced around the great room. She was oblivious to him. Good. The light in her eyes and the glow of her skin meant that talking to her sister was the best medicine for the upcoming day. He was tempted to pause in his activities to watch the emotions play over Jade's features, but knew that would cause her immense embarrassment if he were caught.

"Incubi are… demons. Demons that… take advantage of sleeping women."

Hellboy sighed deeply and figured he could prowl the kitchen. First stop, refrigerator. Opening the door, he noted the lone box of baking soda on the top shelf, which had done a remarkable job of making the fridge smell fresh. Below that shelf housed a few groceries, but nothing of the snack variety. Tucked in the door were a few off-name brands of cola. No beer. Biting his lip in contemplation, he finally shrugged his shoulders and snared one of the sodas, popping the top. The liquid was delicious as it went down his throat.

"Well, once the house is purged, I'm going to grab the photos and whatnot, arrange for some of the furniture to be sent back home and look into getting a realtor. You can bet your bottom dollar that there ain't no way I'm coming back here after today. No way, no how. I know we talked about possibly selling it or keeping it, but I think in light of the past few days, the decision was cemented for us both."

Hellboy heard the fabric whoosh off of the piano and bench, then heard the tinkling of the keys as Jade absently traced the contours of the ivory, listening to her sister. It was then he realized the point of minimal furniture in such a room when others would have stocked it with oversized couches and chairs to curl up in; the acoustics had to be amazing.

"Athena, it'll be alright. It's you I'm worried about. I should have left with you. You back at work?"

Hellboy closed his eyes and wished he could close his ears as well. He now felt like scum for listening in to Jade's conversation. Taking a deep breath and throwing back his shoulders, he debated going out to the vehicle to pretend to grab some necessary items. Instead, he decided to go upstairs and start cleaning. Grabbing a box, he reentered the family room and mouthed 'I'll be upstairs' to Jade, as he made his way to the steps. She nodded her head in understanding as she continued her conversation.

"I know, I know. Well, actually I don't. I can't imagine what you're going through, Tena. I'll be home in a couple of days, if not sooner. I promise. Just with you taking the car, you made it a little difficult for me to get around. Which is fine, which is fine, which is fine! You needed to do what was best for you. I just don't think there's a car rental place in town, but I really need to look into that."

Hellboy made a mental note, as he ascended the flight of stairs, to find out that information for Jade. He doubted that she'd forget, for he knew how much she wanted to get the heck out of Dodge, but who knew what kind of day it was going to turn into?


	11. Chapter 11

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Hellboy walked into the master bedroom and felt a strange sensation wash over him. Unable to pinpoint the exact feeling, he knew, somehow, that he was trespassing in a very private sanctuary. But why he felt the way he did was more complex than knowing, despite the sheets covering the furniture, that it was obvious that this room was the heart of the home. In spite of the surreal, other-worldly factor of the furniture being effectively whited out, there was a warmth to the room that enveloped him as he walked in. 

He felt… welcome.

The room was huge and had two sections; the sleeping portion of the room and a cozy living area with a fireplace that he could just envision being filled with the family piling in after a hearty dinner. Cuddled up with a glass of wine, or a mug of hot chocolate on a chilly night, Hellboy could imagine the family playing board games or listening to music. And he suddenly felt a pang of jealousy for the type of life he never go the option of having.

Shaking his head to clear the melancholy away, he stepped up to what he conjectured was a writing desk and set his box down on the floor. Hellboy slowly pulled the dust cover off the piece of furniture to reveal a beautiful piece of furniture. Laying flat were numerous family photos in matching frames. Unable to help himself, Hellboy picked up the frame lying closest to him. He smiled wistfully as he let his finger gently slide across the glass.

It was a photograph of Jade with presumably her sister, for there was no mistaking a strong family resemblance, and some guy that caused Hellboy's hackles to raise. All were wearing swimsuits and standing at the end of a dock, posing as if in a chorus line. Hellboy smiled as he noted the Jade and her sister couldn't be more like night and day. Her sister was tall, blonde and thin – built like the fashion models that graced grocery store magazines – while Jade was short and curvy with a shock of dark hair that fell halfway down her back.

He took a closer look at Jade. The Jade before him in the photo had no visible tattoos, her skin pale and creamy. A two-piece swimsuit, providing too much coverage to be called a bikini – but way more sexy – hugged her curves. Despite seeing her in a tank top and shorts, Hellboy was surprised at how ample her assets were. And also how… familiar she looked to him. He couldn't place how, but Hellboy had the distinct feeling that he had seen Jade before. But, after shaking his head, he knew that wasn't possible.

Unable to help himself, Hellboy couldn't help but make comparisons between the sisters. Jade's smile was real; it reflected through in her eyes. And showed a dimple in her left cheek he was unaware of. Her dark hair hung past her shoulders, a few tendrils dancing in the wind. Wearing a retro two-piece, Hellboy had to admit that she looked every inch a pin-up. Friendly and flirty.

Her sister, however, looked like an ice princess. Towering a good six inches over Jade, she exuded a coolness that probably made her the most popular girl in a bar. Rail thin, with protruding hipbones and visible ribs, she was wearing a string bikini. Her blonde hair was chin length and disheveled, as if having just rolled out of bed. There was no way that her bedroom eyes and cool exterior wouldn't cause a line of men to follow her around, wanting to break down that icy disposition.

Which brought his attention to the guy in the picture.

Wearing board shorts and a smile, he looked back at Hellboy with a curiosity that was almost palpable. A long goatee tapered to a point, nipped in the middle by a ponytail holder, mimicked the long dark hair that fell to his waist, which was also restrained. Tattoos peppered his legs. His body, lean and toned, was angled so that he shielded Jade, as if protecting her from the photographer.

Hellboy sighed. There was no reason that he should feel any sort of jealousy towards the man, but the feeling was rearing its ugly head. It had been entirely too long since anyone had sparked his interest. Since anyone had cared for him in any other way than professional. His friends were his co-workers and while there had been a few women in his life, their presence was always few and far between. And short-lived when they did occur.

And it wasn't just sex he was missing, although if a hot piece of ass came his way, he wouldn't turn it down. But it was the innocent touches that come with a relationship. He missed someone caressing his arm in greeting as they walked past. Having their head rest on his shoulder when they watched a movie. Having them rub his back when they walked up behind him to see what he was working on.

But being a lone wolf also meant no one had to worry about him when he went on assignment. Or having to worry about not coming back from an assignment. Very few women, those who were able to look past his red skin, were able to handle what he did for a living. It sucked, but he couldn't give up all the good he did for the love of one woman.

_Some day I might get to retire and become the dirty old man that I always seem to be fighting not to become. Until then, back to the daily grind…_

Hearing Jade enter the room, Hellboy attempted to set down the picture before he was accused of being a dirty old man, but Jade was next to him in a blink of an eye. She seemed oblivious to the fact that he was ogling her image and instead, she smiled in recognition.

"That was my mom's favorite picture of us," Jade said as she took the picture out of his hands. "Said we looked adult while still being her children."

As the picture slid from his hands to Jade's, Hellboy was able to catch a glimpse of himself in the glass. It seemed that every time he was able to forget how different he was from the rest of the world, something, no matter how small, would step in to remind him. Then remembering her statement, Hellboy chuckled appropriately, then said in a quiet tone, "Hey you. Good chat with your sister?"

Nodding her head n the affirmative, but shrugging her shoulders in indifference, Jade replied, "I suppose. But I'm still worried about her. But at least I know she made it back home. I mean, what can you do? Roll with the punches and try to land on your feet. She's struggling to get upright, but it sounded like she was putting in extra effort. Which is more than what I'm doing."

Hellboy sighed deeply and nodded his head in return. It was time to get going on the cleansing, but he wanted to be polite. And he was curious… "So that's you. And I'm guessing your sister. And that's…"

Jade smiled sadly, her finger tracing over the man next to her in the photo, echoing the same gesture Hellboy performed moments earlier. "That's my brother."

Why the sudden revelation of a brother surprised him, Hellboy couldn't say, but it was as if a huge weight had been taken off of him. "Oh, you have a brother?" He prayed that his voice sounded light and curious rather than relieved.

Turning away, Jade stepped a few paces away and absently picked up another picture frame with her other hand. She then swallowed. Hard. The gesture wasn't lost on Hellboy. "Had. He died about ten years back. The summer after this photo was taken." Jade set the picture down and walked across the room, picking up another frame. "Gads, we were young. I had to have been eighteen or so. Oh! Look how stupid I am here."

Hellboy wandered over and looked at the image in the frame. Jade was standing in knee-deep water, next to an overturned canoe. Her brother was making a sideways lunge for an oar. Both were laughing. Hellboy looked at Jade and saw a sad smile on her lips.

"So, what is his name?"

Jade turned around and looked up into Hellboy's eyes. The question wasn't 'what was his name' like everyone else asked, but rather 'what is his name.' The difference in tense made Jade want to cry, but she held back a sob and swallowed hard before answering, "Gareth. His name is Gareth."

His brow furrowed and he thoughtfully pulled on his soul patch. "Gareth?"

She nodded her head, waiting for a comment of some sort. Why did her parents have to pick such bizarre names for their offspring?

Hellboy scratched his chin, then tugged on his soul patch. Jade, Athena and now Gareth. He allowed a fleeting thought to enter, then exit, his thoughts as to what Jade's parents taught at the universities. But seeing the look on Jade's face, he wanted to show off more than know the answer to his question. "Gareth. Knight of the Round Table. Nephew to Arthur by being the third son to his sister Morgause by King Lot. He came to Camelot under the disguise of being a kitchen boy and soon after, joined Lynette in the rescue of her sister. Long story short, he becomes a hero and is knighted by Lancelot. Gareth becomes a devout follower of Lancelot as a result, only to be killed by the knight when Lancelot blindly rescues Guinevere from the stake."

Jade set the picture frame back on the desktop, her finger caressing the frame. No one ever knew the origin of her brother's name. Having the back story recited to her was a little unnerving, but Jade supposed that there was little having to do with legends, mythology or folklore that Hellboy didn't know. What she took as stories, he probably considered history. It was like he was a walking encyclopedia, but Hellboy wasn't the best in the business by not being astute.

Sensing the sadness washing over Jade, and knowing that scary times were just around the corner, Hellboy attempted to add a little levity back to the situation. "So, I hate to ask, what prompted the picture being taken?"

Jade smiled, her dimple showing at the corner of her mouth, and rolled her eyes in self-depreciation. "Ah, the glamour of it all... Dad had bought us a canoe, I guess this was back when I was a sophomore or junior in high school, and, well, I found out that you aren't supposed to stand up in a canoe – the hard way. Or, rather, Gareth found out the hard way. Although he thought it was too funny that I thought I could mock-surf while standing in a canoe. You can't, in case you ever want to try."

"Sounds like you all were very close." Hellboy knew the wistfulness was coming through in his voice, but while he loved his father deeply and the job that he had, there were moments where he wished for a typical nuclear family upbringing.

She looked at Hellboy and suddenly realized that she was the object of envy, despite her losses. The idea overwhelmed her. "Yeah. We were close. Really close. A girl couldn't have asked for a better brother. A better family. Thanks for reminding me about just how lucky I've been." Jade set down the photo and looked up at Hellboy, her lips curving into a smile but not quite making it up to her eyes. "Sometimes, it's easy to take things – and people – for granted."

Hellboy noticed that Jade was losing her enthusiasm. But there wasn't much he could do about it. Either she got out of the house and he got the job done on his own, or she bucked up and joined him. Attempting his own smile in return, Hellboy whisked the sheet off the couch and gestured for Jade to sit. "C'mon. Let's get to work."


	12. Chapter 12

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Jade swallowed hard, resisting the urge to retch. Even if she was dreaming, the implications of what was about to happen had rendered her speechless. This was it. The two of them were going to excise the house – her life – of these… incubi. The elation of talking to her sister, knowing that she was alive and well, instantly disappeared. Jade had thought she was okay in dealing with the situation. She had even told her sister she was – had even believed it at the time. But suddenly she wasn't. Now, there was nothing to hind behind; Jade and Hellboy were going to tackle the removal of actual demons from her home. If they lingered still.

_Demons being fought by a demon. Now there's some irony for ya, Jade_.

Hellboy watched Jade as she began to pace, ignoring his suggestion to sit. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her shoulders absently, as if fighting off a chill, lost in her thoughts. Hellboy knew that panic was about to set in as the implications of the moment hit her.

And it hit her hard.

A hand escaped her self-hug and arched up, randomly searching for a place to land. Her fingers absently combed through her hair and an irritated look began to cloud her features. Her brow furrowed, followed by the pursing of her lips. _Why is life so fucking unfair? When do I get to have a break? When does Athena? When will all this crap stop getting unloaded on us?_

Picking up a sofa pillow, Jade chucked it with all her might against the far wall. A screech of frustration trailed after it. Watching the cushion bounce off the wall and land with a soft plop on the carpet, she sighed, feeling better after having channeled some of her anger. Jade felt even better when another pillow followed the first. And then another. Finishing her pity-party, Jade sighed again and turned to face the agent. Hellboy had made himself comfortable on the couch and with an extended arm, indicated Jade should do the same.

Jade flung herself down on the other end of the sofa, her back against the armrest. She then waited, fear draining all the color from her skin. Hellboy wanted to chuckle at the pressure she was putting on herself, but instead popped open his can of soda and took a long sip before speaking, "Don't look like that. This is going to be much easier than you imagine. So easy, that I could do this on my own. But, before you think it's a complete cakewalk, it will be so much simpler to have you help me and I think you'd feel more at ease being a part of the process.

"We're going to cleanse the entire house, top to bottom, starting with the kitchen and then working our way through all the rooms in the house. If there's any negative psychic energy, we're going to eradicate it."

Jade's eyes went wide and she hugged a throw pillow, one that was spared her tantrum, to her chest. "Is this going to involve us destroying anything?" She hated that her voice was hushed, but thought it was better than if her words came out in a shudder.

Shaking his head in the negative, Hellboy slid his hips forward and leaned further back against the sofa, casting her a rueful smile, his soda resting on his knee in the loose cage of his left hand. "Quite the contrary. What we're doing is creating positive energy; no destruction of anything. Except for the negative energy."

Jade was silent, but nodded her head in understanding, even if she was anything but sure of what was going to happen. As if reading her mind, Hellboy explained:

"We're going to wash all the linens in the house in salt water. Including the sheets that cover the furniture. Then clothes and other fabrics, like bedding and whatnot. Anything that can fit into the washing machine, we're throwing it in. We'll do one room at a time. Once everything is stripped, we'll wipe everything else down with salt water. What isn't water friendly, we'll sprinkle with just straight salt, let it sit, then vacuum the salt up."

A bolt of fury jolted through Jade's body. "Salt? You mentioned it last night, but what do you fucking mean, _salt_? The stuff I flavor my food with?"

Hellboy shrugged. He expected her reaction. Of course, this is why he preferred to work alone. It could never be just that simple in his cases' eyes. They always wanted it to be more complicated. And while it usually was indeed more complicated, starting simple and working your way up was usually the best path to follow. "Yep. Ordinary iodized table salt. It neutralizes negative energy. And is easy to get. Although Abe sent me a buttload of the stuff, so I think we're good. As I said, we're gonna toss it on everything that we can't stick in the washer, let it sit and absorb the negative energy, then vacuum it up. Whatever we can stick in the washer, we're going to put salt in with it, too. Then we're gonna wash any entryways, doorways and windowsills with salt water. Although rosemary tea works, too. And although it's a long shot, you wouldn't happen to have any rosemary in the house, would you?"

Jade wanted to close her eyes and put her hands over her ears, blocking out the surreal reality she found herself in. Never in a million years did she think she would be expunging demons from her home… especially with the help of a half-demon. And with salt? "I called the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense to get help against what I think are ghosts and, instead, get demons. Good times for me, ya know? Then I find out that these demons can be banished by… saline? Listen, I mean no offense, but I could have looked this up the Internet and figured this out for myself. Saved you a trip in the process, too." Jade launched herself off the sofa and began to pace. "Fuck me harder!"

Her words stung. There was no doubt about that. But Hellboy also couldn't blame Jade. If he were in her shoes, he'd be hopping mad, too. But working cases were rarely as simple as he hoped. There were the occasional occurrences, but they were few and far between. Usually Hellboy had to rely on his own physical strength to eradicate the causes of the problems he was called in for.

"Jade, if it helps, think of this as step one. If they're gone, this will keep them from coming back. If they aren't then we'll have to step it up a notch and haul out the big guns." Hellboy fiddled with the soda can resting on his knee, wishing it was a cold beer. Wishing he had a cigarette. Wishing he were alone. Why on earth did he think that having Jade around would be a good idea?

"Big guns," Jade softly repeated. "I guess you're not talking literally. Or are you talking about the firearm you have holstered?"

Damn. She was too observant. "Yeah. I suppose I should have told you earlier, but I'm not used to working with civilians." Hellboy shifted and pulled the gun from its holster, laying it on the couch between them. "The Samaritan is custom – special-built just for me. It's got only four chambers and takes special bullets. I'm not the best shot, so I use it only if necessary. So only in the worst-case scenario. Especially on a day like today."

Jade felt a pounding pressure behind her eyes and the urge to retch again hit her. Instead, she took a deep breath and after clearing her lungs, reminded herself that Hellboy was the best in the business. _If I have to repeat it to myself every second of the day today, I have to remember that, no matter what, Hellboy's going to protect me_.

Knowing her silence was adding proverbial salt to her verbal cutting, Jade said, "If there's any rosemary, it would be in the kitchen. In the spice rack. Which would be inside the pantry door. Although I do think Mom kept an herb garden right at the base of the back porch steps, but – now that I think about it – I doubt there would be anything left of it after all these years. Rosemary has to be replanted every year, doesn't it?"

His face splitting into a grin of relief, Hellboy pushed himself off the sofa and stood, anxious to begin work. "Stranger things have happened. You should know that by now. Now, lead the way and let's see if there's some to be found."

Jade shrugged her shoulders and rose, heading towards the stairs. She then stopped, pivoted on her heel and turned back around. "You mean in that big box of yours, you didn't get any shipped to you?"

"Never said that. Just wanted to start getting you involved in the process. See? It's working." Hellboy flashed the biggest shit-eating grin Jade had ever seen and then dodged out of reach, heading towards the stairs. Too stunned to react for a moment, Jade had to admit that he cut around her more quickly than she imagined a being his size could move.


	13. Chapter 13

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Both were silent as Hellboy placed two buckets in the kitchen sink, pouring into each pail half the contents of a salt canister. Opening up the tap, Hellboy watched as water rose to the almost the brim in one bucket, then the other. Waiting for a reaction from Jade, Hellboy silently placed both pails on the counter, sliding one over so that it rested next to her left elbow. No reaction was forthcoming. She was leaning against the counter, her elbows propped on the countertop behind her, mentally berating herself for being so pissed off earlier. Although to Hellboy, it looked as if Jade was still in the midst of her anger. And he thought it was directed at him. 

"Ready?" he asked, his voice low, deep and hesitant, filling the room and spilling over into other parts of the house.

His voice startled Jade, and after a moment, she started to giggle almost hysterically. So caught up in her self-chastising, Jade didn't even hear the water shut off. Or turn on, for that matter. Snapped out of her reverie, Jade acknowledged the bucket he indicated next to her on the counter with a nod of her head, while trying to get her nervous laughter under control. "As I'll ever be. Lemme just go and plug in my iPod into the stereo speakers so we can have some tunage while we clean this dump. You know, so the silence isn't so deafening."

Without waiting for Hellboy to respond, Jade strode out of the kitchen with a feigned confidence that belied her true emotions. Inside, she felt like her innards were all afire; all giggles were gone. But she had to do something that she was in control of; Jade would follow Hellboy's orders to the T, but she'd be damned if she was going to relinquish all of the decision-making in the house.

Hellboy watched her retreating back until it disappeared around the corner. Then, with a suddenness that surprised him, Hellboy felt exhaustion hit him upside the head, causing him to have to grab for the countertop lest he stumble. The beatings he took in his previous case coupled with the lack of sleep the night before proved to be a double whammy; one that Hellboy knew had to be ignored until he was back in Connecticut. In his own bed. Alone. Until then, coffee and cigarettes had to get him through. Respecting that not everyone liked people smoking in their home, Hellboy opted for coffee and after his bout of wooziness passed, he went about looking for a coffeemaker in the cabinets.

The sounds of _Sin_ by Nine Inch Nails came rolling through the house and soon Jade reappeared in the kitchen. "Wacha lookin' for?"

Hellboy was squatting down, his tail twitching to its own rhythm, his right hand resting on an open cabinet door, his left hand rubbing against his eye in exasperation. He needed to shape up – and quick. There was no way Jade could see that he was in any way unsteady. "Coffeemaker."

Jade wanted to purse her lips and place her hands on her hips, but restrained herself by grabbing his left elbow and urging him to stand up. "And then coffee for it, I'll presume. Here, get up. It's in the pantry. Nothing's in the cabinets. Let me wipe out the pot and the maker with some of this saltwater, then I think you'll be good. Actually, now that I think about it, you don't look so hot. Want to sit for a minute?"

"You sure do know how to sweet talk the boys, don't you? But no. I'm fine. Just need a little caffeine." Then, trying to move the attention away from him, Hellboy focused on the song playing and said, "I thought you didn't like angry music."

Jade smirked, shaking her head as she dipped a rag into a bucket, then running it over the bowl of the coffeepot before replying. "Touché, although it's Nine Inch Nails. I was into them – him, Trent – before the rest of the world latched onto his first album. I remember distinctly, February 1989. But, I guess all his fans say that. But getting back to 'angry' music… I don't really think this is _angry_, but even you have to admit, there are exceptions to every rule."

Hellboy was quiet, digesting her words and listening to the music, watching Jade wipe down the inside and outside of the coffeepot, her movements almost hypnotic. And, he hated to admit to himself, very sensual.

And he had to admit that the beat was catchy. When the song finished, Jade noticed Hellboy watching her hands. A shy smile appeared on Jade's lips. "See? Not so angry."

Knowing he was busted for staring, Hellboy turned so that his back was towards Jade. Shooting a look at her over his shoulder as he wiped down the coffeemaker, he muttered. "Hate to disagree, but that was pretty pissed off. And to get back to your earlier comment, I have to say that it seems more like you'd rather find a rule and break it."

She shrugged, handing him the freshly cleansed coffeepot. "You say poe-tay-toe, I say pah-tah-toe."

He took it without comment, filling it with water and then pouring into over the grounds resting inside the machine. Coffee was a poor substitute for sleep, but already the smell of the grounds starting to percolate was giving Hellboy a much-needed boost.

"You know, it's almost ironic. When you're mad, your eyes turn dark, becoming almost… almost like the greenish color of a stormy sea. I had been thinking your name was a bit of a misnomer, but I see it was very apt."

Jade felt her cheeks darken as heat radiated from every pore. She knew her verbal temper tantrum earlier was unwarranted but she was unsure of how to apologize. Instead, she opted to go with the flow of the conversation, while following his lead.

"Actually, color has nothing to do with my name, although it did break my mother's heart that I didn't inherit her green eyes. Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part, but I was actually named in honor of Byakko, the Japanese God of the West and the name translates, roughly, to -."

"Jade tiger."

Jade tilted her head, surprised that someone actually knew what she was talking about. Although, after a moment's thought, it made perfect sense that Hellboy was aware for the tale; it was the nature of his business.

"Impressive." Jade's lips curved into an amused smile. "So then it should make more sense to you than it has to anyone else, the origins of my name. Well, I was born in October, the fall. And since Byakko ruled the autumn season, my parents got a wild hair, I guess. I just have no idea how the thought process developed to Japanese god to a girl's name. Only thing I can figure is the season and the fact that the tiger is a symbol of protector or preserver. I dunno. Somehow, I ended up with a name that is impossible to explain to others."

Hellboy rubbed his chin thoughtfully before responding. If this wasn't a whacked out trip… "So. You're named in honor of Byakko. Your sister is Athena; your brother Gareth. So what was it your parents did – either for a living or as a hobby – that caused you all to be bestowed with such… historical monikers?"

Jade laughed. No one had ever asked in a way before – and she had been asked plenty of times. Tossing the rag into the bucket and wiping her hands on the legs of her jeans, Jade stood up and stretched before answering. "Mom was an adjunct professor at Webster University, teaching history and women's studies. Dad was a professor at Washington University and was Assistant Dean of the Psychology Department. He was also the professor no one wanted because he never accepted less than perfection."

Hellboy chuckled, able to understand being the product, more or less, of the household of an educator. Although his father was the one everybody tried to have as a teacher. But there was no sense in telling Jade; she was one of those wanting into Professor Bruttenholm's class. Then there was the knowing that her upbringing was, in some ways, completely different; he was trying to imagine the household Jade grew up in.

Jade continued. "They, my parents, wanted us to be unique and… strong. Strong willed. Strong in character. Strong in beliefs and opinions. And I know what you're thinking – somehow they failed miserably with me." She emphasized her sarcasm with a saucy wink.

Arching a brow, then shaking his head in mock exasperation, he found himself feeling a little wistful. A little jealous. While he loved his father dearly, growing up in a government laboratory fishbowl sometimes lacked the warmth he yearned for.

"So when did you lose your parents?"

She paused, mid-wipe, as if contemplating an answer. The silence expanded and Hellboy began to think Jade forgot the question. Just as the thought entered his head, she replied. "Mom died just over a year ago. Cancer. Lung cancer, despite not being a smoker. Brutal. Nasty, nasty, nasty business. Then three months ago, Dad was involved in a multi-vehicle pile up and was fatally injured. It was all over the news because someone swerved to avoid hitting a stray dog. Yay for the dog, because, at the time, I would have done the same. But boo for me and my sister because Dad lingered just over a week. Again, nasty business. Sometimes, it's hard no to be bitter. And, to sound like a heartless bitch, I don't know if I would swerve to avoid the dog now."

Hellboy nodded his head in understanding. He still felt the emptiness of his father's passing – ten years later. But she was still so young to have lost so many people… And in such a short span. "At least you have your sister."

"Yeah." Jade looked slightly melancholy. "But as the older sister, I thought she was supposed to be the more responsible of us, but it's always me putting out her fires. But, the whole topic is a downer, so let's change subjects. So when you finish up with this… case, you gonna get some well-deserved R and R?"

Hellboy scoffed and dipped his rag into his pail. With a sigh, he dragged the cloth across the kitchen windowsill. _It would be so nice to get some time off…_ "Naw, no rest for the wicked, as they say. Although, I have to admit, being out here in Minnesota, I'm feeling almost loathe to go back home to Connecticut. Out here, in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, you can take deep breaths and not choke on smog. I don't care what they say about other parts of the country – or even other parts of the world – this is truly God's Country. A little bit of Heaven."

Jade refrained from rolling her eyes. "I know a house that's going to be on the market for next to nothing in the near future. This might be close to Heaven for you, but it's so far in the opposite direction for me that I can't wrap my mind around it. But when I think of Connecticut, I don't think smog. I think cute little gingerbread houses, tucked away into hills with a blanket of snow covering all that the eye can see."

Hellboy snorted at Jade's description of Connecticut. "It's really not that bad, you're right. Maybe not quite so Norman Rockwell as you're imagining, I'm afraid. But not bad. As far as setting up shop out here, don't I wish! I just don't think the Bureau would like it if I was out here livin' it up while there were… jobs for me take on. They might not appreciate my commute."

Jade noticed the wistfulness in his voice and decided to press her luck to see if he would open up more. "So… Connecticut, huh? Land of the yuppies. Sounds like you blend right in with the uptight, conservative suits."

"About as well as you do in Bible Belt country," he shot back.

Unable to hold back a grin, Jade shook her head in mock exasperation. If he only knew how right he was – although Bible Belt might be pushing it a tad bit. Northerns always thought St. Louis was part of the South and Southerns always thought St. Louis was part of North. And Jade thought it was right in the middle of nowhere. But the blending in… Hellboy's sarcasm was not very far from the truth. Not even six months ago, when her hair was platinum blonde with bright green highlights, Jade enjoyed walking down the streets in a tank top, low-riding jeans and a pair of creepers on her feet, basking in the looks either openly bestowed upon her or furtively cast towards her out of the corner of people's eyes. But that changed or, rather, was modified when her father passed on.

At the visitation, dressed conservatively and completely against type, Jade discovered that if her physical presence blended in with her surroundings, then it was her personality that people reacted to. The afternoon prior to the visitation, on a whim, Jade dyed her hair back to its natural brunette color and felt more than physically transformed. After years of acting out and trying to be different, Jade remembered that it wasn't the packaging that made a person different. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but refreshing advice to follow. She was different not because of what she was, but who she was.

"How right you are. Like a chameleon, I am," she responded, with a wink, before dipping a rag in her bucket and wiping down the cabinet sides.


	14. Chapter 14

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for taking a peek and your patience with this story. Wishing you all the happiest of New Year's and a healthy and prosperous 2008.

* * *

With the comforting sound of the vacuum whirring in the next room, Hellboy slid open the closet door and began to pull the few garments still remaining off their hangers and into a hamper. Once the closet was bare, he moved over to the chest of drawers. Opening the top drawer, a smile became plastered across his face as he eyed all the two-piece swimsuits filling the drawer. Glancing quickly at the doorway, he allowed himself a moment to hold a bikini top up and imagine. 

It was white. It was crocheted. It wasn't lined. He swallowed. Hard. It didn't take long for Hellboy to visualize a picture. He also didn't hear the vacuum shut off.

Finished with the vacuuming in her brother's old room, Jade figured she'd mosey over and see where Hellboy was at with the laundry situation. Stopping mid-stride through the doorway of the old bedroom she had shared with her sister over the summers, Jade opted to stop and lean against the doorframe, quietly observing Hellboy for a moment. Watching him gawk at her old swimsuit was damn entertaining.

_He doesn't remember, which, while good – I suppose – is rather surprising. No, not surprising. Disappointing. But, it was twenty years ago; I was eleven. I certainly don't look the way I did back then. It's just… yeah, a little disappointing._

"I see you found the suit my mother loathed with every fiber of her being. Now, once we're done filling up the washer with delicates, such as that, we can break for lunch. You had said something about wanting to see the area where my sister and I ate and then the hammock. Unless you need a moment…"

Startled, Hellboy quickly dropped the garment into the basket and frantically started dumping the contents of the drawer into the laundry hamper. His heart was pounding and his cheeks burned in embarrassment. _Crap. Crap! Crap! Crap! Dirty old man. Don't you remember? She's a case. Nothing more. Don't be thinking you can develop this into anything more than it is. And now you're so busted. _

Jade watched in befuddlement as Hellboy frantically unloaded the swimsuits into the hamper. She didn't mean to make him uncomfortable, just wanted to give him a hard time, but realized too late that she couldn't have embarrassed him more. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have embarrassed you like that. But after watching you for a few moments, and seeing that grin on your face, I just had to rib you about it. Please, no hard feelings?"

Breathing deeply through his nose, Hellboy tried to calm his racing heart. It took a moment, but he forced himself to look her in the eyes. The look of utter shame on Jade's face washed away most of his discomfort. Hellboy bit back his comment about wanting her to do something else besides ribbing him and instead said, "I think that this is the last of the washables in here. And I'm pretty sure that this is the last room to clean, yes?"

Jade stepped into the room and opened the remaining drawers and pulled a few more garments out, depositing them on top of the pile in the laundry basket. "Yeah. I mean, I still have to vacuum my parents' room, but I want the salt to sit for a bit more. Washed the windowsills in my folk's room, in Gareth's room, but still have to get to this room. Let me sprinkle some salt in here and then I want to get some air. Then lunch. Unless timing is of the essence."

"Naw, I think some air'll do us both some good. But more importantly, food. Besides, I'm dying for a cigarette. You want me to throw the salt around in here and have you toss this last load in?"

Jade smiled wickedly. "Nah. I think I'll scatter the salt. Let you handle the… delicates."

Hellboy could feel his cheeks darken, but he smiled good-naturedly, if a little self-consciously. He picked up the laundry basket and said, "You are a very mischievous girl, Jade."

Jade made a mock-outraged gasp before marching over and grabbing a bikini bottom from the laundry basket, which she swatted against Hellboy's arm. Knowing she was flirting and not caring, Jade was unable to maintain her mock indignation and threw the swimsuit piece back on the pile. With a saucy smile that revealed a dimple, although the humor wasn't reflected in her eyes, Jade replied, "Translation, naughty. And you aren't the first person to accuse me of that." Then, with a wink, Jade spun on her heel and exited the room.


	15. Chapter 15

**Obligatory disclaimer: ** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Hellboy emerged from the laundry room realizing he was the only being in the house. Over the humming of the washing machine and dryer, he thought he had heard the back door open and shut, so Hellboy made his way to the kitchen. On the counter were the abandoned fixings for making lunch. Looking out the window, he spied Jade standing on the hill, halfway down to the dock, the wind whipping her hair all around. Slipping two sodas into his duster pockets, Hellboy decided to join her. 

His footsteps echoing loudly on the wood of the deck, Hellboy internally cringed as each step took him closer to Jade. He was interrupting her solitude. He was interrupting her moment of peace. But no sooner did he begin to mentally chew himself out, Hellboy found himself on the quiet of the grass, standing right next to Jade.

She didn't turn to face him. Her eyes were on the water, continuously scanning the waves and searching for something that was beyond Hellboy.

Hellboy find "So you stopped coming out here because of college?" His voice was hushed, but curious.

Jade hugged her arms around her, despite the warmth of the sun. Hellboy waited patiently as she formulated an answer. After taking a deep sigh, she turned and looked him in the eyes. "No. It's… complicated." She held his gaze for an extra beat or two, then went back to eying the water.

Hellboy nodded, taking a drag of his cigarette, pretending to understand. If he had access to a place such as this, nothing could keep him away.

"My brother drowned out there and I haven't been back since."

Except for maybe that.

"Drowned? I am so sorry, Jade. I… I didn't mean to pry. It just seems so peaceful out here that I just couldn't imagine why you wouldn't be up here as often as possible, especially while you were in college. But… now I see why."

Jade smiled ruefully and walked past Hellboy, gently bumping him with her shoulder as she slipped by, and went down to the steps of the dock. Hellboy followed behind by a few paces, respectful of the magnitude of her journey. He also kept silent, letting her chose the pace of the conversation.

"He was cutting the grass. We had one of those giant lawn mowers that you see professionals using in corporate parks. You know, the kind that you actually stand on the back of? Anyways, he was cutting down by the retaining wall over there and somehow, he slipped. Dad saw it. Gareth lost his footing and in his scramble to stay upright, pulled the lawn mower into the lake with him. Pinned him and by the time Dad got down there, with all of us in tow when we heard Dad screaming, it was too late. We all took turns performing CPR on him while we waited for the ambulance to show up, but Gareth was lost. I never set foot in the house after that night."

Hellboy rubbed his head and wished he could melt into the wooden dock. "That's… indescribable. Jade, I don't know what to say."

As she eyed the spot where she and her dad pulled her brother out of the water, Jade felt her arms start to shake. Sighing deeply, she shook her head in an effort to clear the images dancing through her mind. _I just want to go home._ "There's nothing to say. I didn't tell you to make you feel bad; I told you to explain why I haven't been out here in years. We all have our demons–."

"Interesting turn of phrase." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Hellboy hated the acerbic tone of his voice.

Jade sighed deeply and brushed back a loose strand of hair. Standing so close to the water, the wind was much stronger. And at that moment, she felt there was very little she could do right. _What the fuck is your problem? Have some tact! _"Yeah. I can be such a dumbass sometimes. But regardless, we all have our problems. And except for this incubus thing, I never thought mine were any different than anybody else's. I mean, losing Gareth and my folks sucks big time, but we all lose the people we love. It's a fact of life. But being around the places that remind you of them can be just as much a curse as a blessing. And after what happened the other day, this place is permanently cemented into the cursed category."

Not knowing what to say, Hellboy walked to the edge of the dock and sat down, his feet dangling inches from the water's surface. Taking a long drag of his cigarette, he marveled at the beauty before him. What seemed like a huge lake, with trees framing his view to the left and a rocky beach making way to a sandy spit way off to the right, Hellboy thought he had found his idea of Eden. Across the far side of the lake, he could see two houses, each the size of matchbooks from his vantage point.

Quietly, Jade sat down next to him, respectful of his space, but still closer than Hellboy imaged he would have chosen if the roles were reversed. _Of course, she's scared and vulnerable, even if she won't admit it to herself. _Covering his smile by raising his hand to his lips, Hellboy took a long drag on his cigarette before he sighed contentedly. If there was no case, he couldn't imagine being any happier than he thought he could be at that moment. He also took the soda cans out of his pocket and sat one next to her, a silent offering.

Jade took the soda can and popped the top. After taking a long swallow of the cola, she said, "Thanks for the soda." A pause, then, "When I was younger, there used to be a picnic table here at the end of the dock. Sitting out here, eating, watching the birds, feeling the wind, I used to pretend that I was floating in a cloud and that the water was actually the sky."

Hellboy nodded, his cigarette dangling between his lips as he leaned back on his hands. In a surprise move, Jade removed the cigarette from his mouth and took a long drag herself before extinguishing it by standing up, dropping the smoke onto the dock and grinding it out with her heel. She then picked the butt up and stepped back a few feet, her eyes again on the water.

"It's gonna rain. Probably tomorrow."

Hellboy arched a brow at her chutzpah, but ignored her daring and instead replied, "How do you know?"

"The waves on the lake. Despite the wind, they're more choppy than usual. See those whitecaps? They never lie. Now, let's have some lunch. I'm famished."

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**A/N:** Thanks for taking the time to stop by and take a peek. And thanks for your patience with the story. The next chapter will have more action, I promise.

* * *


	16. Chapter 16

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

Hellboy leaned on the porch railing and listened to the waves lap the rock wall. The light of the full moon reflected off the lake, making the water a sea of glistening diamonds. A cigarette balanced between his fingers, waiting to be lit; his thumb gliding gently over the flint wheel of his Zippo. Thoughts of the idyllic life living in such a home could bring were tripping through his mind. He was also letting his thoughts wander to an alternate reality where he and Jade were raising rugrats of their own, summering at the house.

He then pushed off the railing, shaking his head in disgust.

_Stupid old fool. After you're done here, you're just gonna go back to Connecticut and wait until your next assignment. That is, if you actually make it back to Headquarters before your next call. Maybe someday you'll get to settle down, but not now. And not here._

A piercing scream that came from the direction of Jade's old bedroom caused the Canadian geese snoozing on the water to take flight.

His unlit cigarette dropped and forgotten, Hellboy tore into the house and took the steps three at a time, coming to a halt in the doorway of the bedroom. There, Jade lay on the floor, an empty bucket lying next to her, its contents spilled around her in an arc. A canister of salt, haphazardly dropped and forgotten, lay lodged in a corner, a trail of white flowing across the floor. Struggling against unseen shackles, Jade did her damnedest to break free from her invisible captor and kept herself in constant, albeit limited, motion. She was oblivious to Hellboy's presence; instead, she had the look of despair one wears upon discovery of abandonment.

Because Jade didn't see him in the doorway, Hellboy was able to assess the situation without inflicting further panic while he contemplated a course of action. If she saw him and saw he wasn't putting a plan into motion, Jade would flip. _Although, I don't think she could be any more freaked out than she is right now._

But Jade wasn't taking her time in formulating a plan. Unable to see her attacker, she was panicking even more than she would if the entity appeared to her. At the rate she was squirming, Hellboy figured that Jade was going to exhaust herself at any time. But, until then, the squirming meant that the incubi or incubus hadn't gotten a complete hold of her.

"Get! Off! Me!"

With a frustrated grunt that sounded like a strangled cry, Jade closed her eyes, trying not to feel defeat. _Where the fuck is Hellboy? Didn't he hear me scream? _She tried to shout again, but no sound came out. Breathing was becoming more difficult as the pressure on her chest increased. Bizarre sounds were starting to overwhelm her; a deep humming sound resonated through the room. It was almost like the hum that continued in one's ears long after leaving a loud dance club. Colors were also beginning to slide in and out of her sight, despite her closed lids, and soon it was like living inside a kaleidoscope.

Hellboy tiptoed into the room and crossed over to the dresser, on top of which was his satchel, placed there earlier. He wanted to collect a few items before Jade saw him, but knew time was of the essence. Rummaging through the bag, Hellboy tried to quickly contemplate a course of action. After an uneventful afternoon, the evening's events proved to be rather surprising. But no time to think about the shock of the attack – there was only seconds to implement and execute a plan. Hellboy spared a few precious seconds and cast a glance over his shoulder to see how Jade was doing.

She looked terrified, but no tears were forthcoming. _My brave girl_.

"Hey, the Calvary has arrived."

Relief colored Jade's features, but her resolution to fight the incubus on top of her intensified. She could feel it's breath on her face and, instinctively, she turned her head to the side, avoiding the smell. In doing so, it allowed her to watch Hellboy pull several items from the bag and begin to quietly pray as he made his selections. She knew he was trying to decide which items would best serve his needs – their needs – but she wished he'd hurry the fuck up.

Silently, Hellboy pulled an amulet out of the sack and worked a kink out of the cord. He opened several envelopes and slid dried herbs from each into the charm. Crossing the room and kneeling next to her, Hellboy placed the necklace around her neck.

"About fucking time. What were you waiting for, an invitation?" Jade's voice was acid.

His tail lashing back and forth in irritation, Hellboy tilted his head first one way, then the other, popping his neck. He then arched a brow. "Sarcasm, duly noted. Now give me a break; I'm here now. Has it done anything yet?"

"No, but not for lack of trying. However, you have no idea how grateful I am that you're here now. And if need be, I'll name my first born after you to show just how appreciative I am. Just make sure I live long enough to let that happen!"

Ignoring the sarcasm in her voice, Hellboy held the charm in his hand and sighed heavily before explaining its purpose. "Now, I know that I said that religious effects won't rid you of incubi, but desperate times call for desperate measures. In the vial are Vervain, mandrake root and peony seeds. Vervain is a sacred druid herb. Christians embraced it because it's believed the herb staunched the blood of Christ during the Crucifixion. Because of its strong religious affiliation, some say this helps make it an effective tool in banishing incubi. Mandrake is effective in keeping away evil and peonies are closely associated with the expelling of incubi. So let's see if they help."

No sooner were the words out of Hellboy's mouth than Jade was pressed to the floor. Prior, she had been fighting to stay in a reclining position, her weight resting on her elbows. Now, she was laying flat on her back. Jade hesitated a moment, trying to keep her wits and focus, but was rewarded with a searing pain in her left shoulder as the entity wrenched her left arm behind her back. Hellboy ran his left hand across his face. _Damn, she stopped concentrating on fighting them and concentrated on listening to me. _

Looking beyond pissed, Jade threw Hellboy an accusing look. "'Let's see,' my ass!"

Hellboy pinched the bridge of his nose and did a mental inventory of his supplies, his options. "Jade, be strong. I told you, I promised, that I won't let anything happen to you."

Her eyelids fluttered as they rolled in their sockets and her nostrils flared. _More sarcasm_. But instead of more hostility, Jade opened her eyes and the expression on her face told him that she wanted to believe his words, but the actions of the incubi were causing her to lose hope. "So, what do I do? Because your necklace ain't working!"

Fighting the urge to raise an eyebrow in appreciation, Hellboy wanted to assess the situation. "Are you able to move any part of your body?"

Jade took a deep breath, then tried to move any and every part of her anatomy – the process leaving her exhausted and emotionally frazzled. Resolving not to cry, there was a weariness in her voice when she replied. "Nope. Only from the neck up. It's like a 250-pound man is kneeling on me. And I can feel… it… touching…" A note of irritation crept into her voice. "Again. What. Do. I. Do?"

If only it were that easy. Resisting the urge to sigh, Hellboy instead looked out the window, at the full moon. _Why isn't any of this working?_ Pressing his lips together until he could taste blood, Hellboy then looked back down at this case. It was just a matter of moments before the incubus tried, and possibly succeeded, in raping Jade. Hellboy wanted to scream instructions to her, to tell her what needed to be done, but the truth was… he didn't know what to do. All he did know was that Jade was in the throws of panic. She needed a life preserver in the sea of chaos and the only way he could help her is he became her anchor. "Jade, look at me."

Her eyes, filled with fear and pain, obeyed.

"Jade, honey, you have to take a deep breath and then tell it to leave."

The calmness in Hellboy's voice helped Jade focus. Taking a deep breath, Jade asked, "How? You mean, the power of Christ compels you and that sort of thing?"

That was the fighting spirit. Sort of.

Hellboy wanted to tell her that it didn't matter what she said, just as long as she believed it, but instead answered, "Just open your mouth and tell it to leave. In whatever way you want. Just be forceful and convincing."

Jade slid her tongue along her lips, wetting them and then, with a slight nod of her head in acknowledgement, took a deep breath. Exhaling, Jade closed her eyes and said, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I… I command you to leave. Yes. I command you to leave. Now!"

A voice came out of nowhere, filling the room. "Don't send me away! Jade, it's me, your brother!"

Hellboy sat back on his heels. _Well, ain't this a kick in the ass_?

A look of panic skewered Jade's features as her eyes flew open. Her head thrashed from side to side in an attempt to see the new addition to the conversation. "Wha–?"

It then dawned on Hellboy. While it might not be showing itself to either one of them, it was present in the room just as they both were. While Hellboy never had one communicate in words other than seduction towards the victim, it just occurred to him that an incubus could say whatever it darn well wanted. "Jade, don't listen to it. It's trying to confuse you!"

"Well, it's working!" Jade looked at Hellboy as if he were crazy.

Again, the invisible incubus spoke to Jade, its voice low, frantic and pleading. "Jade! I've come back! It's been so long and I've missed you so much!"

Hellboy rolled his eyes in frustration. Never in all his years had an incubus spoken to so that anyone other than the person it was attacking could hear it. Maybe… maybe talking directly to it would help. "Buddy, just back the fuck off. I've already claimed dibs on her. Sorry you didn't get the memo. So you can show yourself out at any time. We could use the privacy."

Hellboy's words caused the incubus to screech in frustration. But what Hellboy said seemed to have some impact. The incubus was desperately trying to stay latched onto Jade. In the incubus' frantic attempt to stay a hold of her, cuts and scratches appeared on Jade's arms.

Hellboy knew he was going to have to kick it up a notch.

He spun around, desperately looking for something – anything – that he could use to help him see the invisible being. Nearly concealed in the shadows, Hellboy spied a salt canister that was still sealed shut. A plan quickly formulated.

His tail twitching in agitation, Hellboy stood and rolled his shoulders back. "Jade, I'm going to pour water on you and… it. The incubus. Then salt. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some sort of silhouette of it to appear. Then, I'll be able to see it and then be able to fight it better. So holdie on."

_Holdie on? What the fuck? _Forcing herself to keep her panic from her voice, Jade said, "Fine. Just hurry." Then realizing how vulnerable she was, Jade added, "Please."

Nodding his head, partly in agreement, partly as an automatic response, Hellboy set the bucket upright and what little water was left in it soon was poured over Jade's mid-section. Only, very little water reached her skin. Displaced about a half foot above her person, the water making contact with an invisible entity about half the length of her body. Salt soon followed, clinging to the demon, forming a silhouette and giving Hellboy a target.

Hellboy grabbed the incubus and, with a grimace, pulled his fist back, then slammed it forward. The result was a satisfying thud, then crunch, when his hand made contact with the demon. A wail of agony filled the room, which only fueled Hellboy's repeated punches. With each resulting blow, the incubus became more and more visible, giving Hellboy a better and better visual target.

"We gave you plenty of chances, bud. But no-o-o-o! You had to close in on my girl. Well, let me show you just what happens when someone tries to step on my turf." And with a grunt, Hellboy's right fist made contact again with the incubus.


	17. Chapter 17

**Obligatory disclaimer: **Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Jade tentatively opened one eye, not at all sure of what she was about to see. The ceiling above her was stationary. Good. The room was silent. Maybe good. The dizziness seemed to finally fade, so she let go of the breath she had been holding in a sigh of relief and moved her arms to get better leverage to sit up. 

Earlier, when Hellboy had grabbed hold of the incubus and Jade was able to breath freely again, she had rolled to her side and watched Hellboy pummel the entity until the room began to spin around her and she passed out.

Now, fully revived, Jade pushed herself up so that she was resting on her elbows and saw that the room still looked the same. Hellboy was standing over her, a concerned look coloring his features. With slow movements, Jade was able to push herself up so that she was sitting, and then wrapped her arms around her knees. Once the realization that she was free washed over her, Jade rested her forehead against her knees to her chest and quietly sobbed.

Hellboy watched as the invisible chains holding Jade down broke their moorings as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Hating to see a woman cry, Hellboy knelt down beside Jade and ran his left hand across her hair, murmuring soothing words to calm her down. Turning into his embrace, Jade buried her head into the expanse of his chest, clutching at the fabric of his shirt, mumbling to herself words that only she understood. Not knowing what else to do, Hellboy rested his chin on the top of her head and stroked her hair, whispering words of encouragement.

With a hiccup, Jade slowly let a long shuddering breath out through her mouth, pulling away from Hellboy and wiping her eyes. "Sorry 'bout all that. I'm good. I'm good."

Hellboy gently tugged on his soul patch and regarded Jade a moment before answering. He knew she was avoiding eye contact with him not because of the fight with the incubus but because her embarrassment of having him see her cry. "Of course. No doubt. You want some water or something?"

"No. No water." Jade held up her hand in deference. "But thanks. A tissue would be great, however."

Hellboy nodded his head and was out of the room and back before it could register with Jade that he had even left. Silently handing her the box, Hellboy watched as Jade plucked one, two, three tissues and then turned her head to blow her nose. Waiting until she finished, Hellboy tentatively began, "You okay?"

Sniffling slightly, Jade nodded her head, grateful that her hair curtained her features. Swallowing a few times, then tilting her head back so that she looked at the ceiling, Jade answered, "Actually, no. Not really. But… is it really gone?"

Hellboy's golden eyes darkened to amber. Compassion surged through him, a feeling that was rather foreign in his line of work. "Completely gone. When I killed it, its remains disintegrated. Nothing left but a little ash over there."

Jade physically recoiled from the spot Hellboy pointed out. Feeling the beginnings of a panic attack coming on, she forced herself to breath more slowly. She wanted nothing more than to grab some things and get back to the motel room. "Thanks for everything."

Mock saluting, Hellboy said, "Just doing my job ma'am. What can I for you now? You look a little green around the gills. I can use that expression since my partner, Abe, isn't here." Abraham Sapien, a merman, didn't always appreciate the level of humor Hellboy had cultivated over the years.

She slowly shook her head in the negative. "There's nothing else you can do for me except get me out of here. I am so ready to get back to the motel." Jade slowly pushed herself so that she was standing.

Taking a deep breath, Hellboy hated the words he was about to utter. "Actually, we need to finish cleansing the house."

Jade spun her head so fast that Hellboy swore she should have whiplash. A look of horror washed over her features as she stopped in her tracks. "What?!?"

"I said–."

She stomped her foot. "I know what you said. I just can't believe you meant it. Haven't we been through enough this evening?" Jade's arms were pinwheeling about her to emphasize her words.

His left hand snaked out and grabbed Jade by the elbow, stopping her march out of the room. "You yourself said you were restrained by multiple entities. Gotta make sure we banish them all. Now come on, we're almost done here. No more than another hour. Tops. I promise."

"Fuck that! I want to get out of here! Now." Hellboy tried not to smile at the childish tone Jade's voice took on.

Gently directing Jade out the door and into the hallway, he smiled wryly. "Okay, fine. Wait for me in the car. I'll clean up the rest and meet you down there in a bit. Here's the keys." Hellboy tossed the car keys to Jade, who caught them one handed.

Her incredulity was nearly palpable. "Wait. I'm not going to go outside – where I was initially _attacked_ – and wait for you! You expect me to wait out there by myself? Alone?"

Hellboy had retreated back into the bedroom and had resumed cleaning. Looking over his shoulder as he cleaned up the ashen remains of the incubus, Hellboy shrugged. "Jade, honey, if you don't want to be in here, then you gotta be out there. I'm not leaving until I finish the job. Unless you can come up with another option."

Jade crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, her eyes narrowed in frustration, but no retort was forthcoming.

Hellboy broke eye contact with her, turning back to his task. "Jade, either help or go wait in the car. End of story."

Her back stiffening in indignation, Jade remained silent and seethed. For several long moments, she watched Hellboy's back bob and weave as he focused on his task. Sighing deeply, she pushed herself off the doorframe, rolled her eyes as she did so and, with a snort, grabbed the rag out of his hands and proceeded to wipe down the windowsill.

.o.o.o.o.o.

Hellboy watched with a cross between bemusement and concern as Jade struggled to keep her eyes open. After he deposited her downstairs on the couch, she tugged on his shirt bottom so insistently that he ended up dropping down right next to her. And once he was sitting, exhaustion washed over him. When Jade curled up next to him, her head tucked in under his left arm, Hellboy knew he had been suckered in completely. Anything Jade asked for, he'd grant at that moment. But the longer they camped out on the sofa, the more difficult it would be to make the trek upstairs to the bedrooms or – and he really didn't want to consider the option – getting into the car to head back to the hotel.

Hellboy tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, letting his finger linger on the fairy tattoo a moment. He wasn't very good at comforting people, but he tried his hardest. "You know, Jade, you did a really good job today. You should really be proud of yourself. And now, you really need to get some sleep. We've both been worked over like a rib at a barbeque and I know I'm too tired to drive and I wouldn't bet you could go ten feet without falling asleep. Now, let me go upstairs and make up your bed…" He hated the fact that his voice had taken a lower cadence.

The appearance of sleepiness dissipated as panic etched her features. She pushed herself in closer against Hellboy in an attempt to prevent him from pivoting away. "No! I mean…" She sighed deeply, looking down at her lap, suddenly taking an active interest in the fray of her pant leg. "I don't really want to stay, but… we're both exhausted. You're right. Yet… I dunno… I got it in my head that we should stay. Ya know? Just in case… you know, one, or more, come back. But I don't want to sleep upstairs. And I really… I really don't feel like sleeping alone. And while I know this goes outside your job description, and you can certainly say no, I… can we just stay here and… talk for a bit? I know we're both exhausted, but I don't think I want to sleep just yet."

Hellboy untangled his arm from around Jade and stretched, his hands knocking the wall behind him. "Your mind might not think you want to, but your body so isn't listening. You need sleep. End of story. C'mon. We don't have to go upstairs, but there ain't no way I'm going to let us fall asleep here on the couch, only to wake up with kinks in places we didn't know existed."

"Maybe… maybe we can make a nest or something on the floor and watch some TV? Anything, really, that's best for you. But I mean it; I'd really rather not sleep alone tonight. Can we… can we – maybe – bed down on the floor… together?" Feeling her heart pounding so fast that it was about to burst out of her chest, Jade then looked Hellboy directly in the eyes.

Well, if this wasn't a bit of a twist on the scenario he had been playing out in his head since they met. Sleeping together and camping out on the floor with her were two different things. Two very different things. And while not surprising considering the circumstances – some nights he didn't want to sleep alone, which is why he had so many cats – Hellboy certainly didn't see the request coming. Blindsided, Hellboy took a moment as he processed the plea. Another night without sleep lay ahead of him, but the pleading look in her eyes was just too much for him to bear. As the seconds ticked away, the response to her request hung between them like the pressure before an impending storm.

Finally, he nodded his head. "Uhm, sure. C'mon, let's just go grab some bedding. There should be some clean sheets around here somewhere," he attempted to joke. He then pushed himself up and off the couch.

She reached out and touched his arm. "I've made you uncomfortable."

Hellboy smiled ruefully and playfully chucked Jade on the chin. "Naw. I just," he paused, trying to properly articulate his words. "I just have never worked quite so, closely, with a client before. I just don't want you to feel like I'm being… improper. And I don't you waking up and being uncomfortable because you're in such close proximity to my person. You've been through a lot. And… I can be viewed as a little unconventional. So, just try to avoid any funny stuff." He softened his words even more by winking, before turning away and heading up the stairs.


	18. Chapter 18

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

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**A/N:** Was sick with the flu and needed some fun. Got a plot bunny stuck in my head that I didn't know what to do with, so I though I'd inject a little fluff into the story. And that's what it is... just mindless fluff. And it really doesn't move the story forward much at all, but it was so much fun to write. And write. And write. Which is why it's an insanely long chapter. So thanks for your patience. And thanks for dropping by to take a peek.

* * *

Hellboy was wrong. So wrong. As soon as they bunkered down on the family room floor, he instantly fell asleep and slept the sleep of the dead, dreaming harder than he had in a long time… 

It was still early in the evening when Hellboy walked into the honky-tonk, but the place was already hopping. After a quick assessment of the crowd, Hellboy was secretly pleased to see that he had beaten Jade to the tavern. Hellboy sidled up to the bar, started a tab and with two longnecks in hand, made his way to a table far from the stage which was being set up for a band. While this certainly wasn't a date, his last night on the assignment was no longer business and he wanted the noise level to be as low as possible to make conversation easier.

Hellboy sat with his back to the wall, a practice he had cultivated years ago. Especially in bars, where alcohol gave people a false sense of bravery. And foolishness. Hellboy sipped on his beer as he quietly observed the people around him, glad that no one was directly staring back.

Casting a glance on the clock behind the bar, Hellboy realized that Jade was late. He shook his head and picked up the bottle he had bought for her, figuring that one way or another he was going to have a fun evening.

No sooner than the amber liquid hit his lips, did Jade walk into the joint. Hellboy wanted to kick himself at the way he knew his eyes lit up, but there was no helping it. And he wasn't the only one. All eyes were on Jade as she looked around the room, scanning faces. When she finally saw Hellboy, her lips curved into a smile and she wiggled her fingers at him in hello. She then pantomimed drinking a beer at him and with a nod of his head, he held up the bottle he was drinking from. Jade nodded her head in acknowledgement and went to the bar.

Men were still staring at her and women were glaring at her, but Jade was oblivious to it all. Standing at the end of the bar, her back to Hellboy and most of the room, Jade was bent over the bar top as she leaned forward to tell the bartender her order. In doing so, the skirt of the sundress she wore, which hit her at the knees, hiked up to mid-thigh. Hellboy took a long pull of his beer as he appreciated the view.

He also knew that Jade hadn't packed a dress for her visit. All the clothes she brought were hanging in the closet of the motel room and the suitcase was lying open on the luggage tray, airing out. Hellboy could only figure that Jade had stopped into a thrift store during some of her errands, as what she wore didn't come out of Wal-Mart.

While the 70's fashions were back in, Hellboy knew the sundress she wore was the real deal. A calico print, the dress had the elastic smocking in the bodice that he found very unattractive at the time it was popular, but after seeing Jade fill out such a garment Hellboy quickly altered his opinion. Over the dress, she wore a butter yellow cardigan that in the low light perfectly concealed her tattoos. And around her neck, partly to cover up the fading bruises and partly to cover up the tattoo under her left ear, Jade tied a dark green chiffon scarf. Her dark, wavy hair was now a cascade of curls and flowed over her shoulders like a cloud. The effect was dazzling and Hellboy appreciated the effort.

It seemed that Hellboy wasn't the only one, as he watched one of the locals scoot across two seats at the bar to grab a beer out of Jade's hand. Hellboy watched as her back straightened in anger, but instead of getting angry she just handed him the other beer with a smile, spun around and walked towards the table.

But it wasn't beer the man was looking for. He set down both beers, then grabbed her wrist and spun her back around to face him. With a smile that revealed missing and rotted teeth, he dragged Jade towards him as he walked backwards two steps to find his barstool again. Stumbling back into it, the man grabbed the bottle Jade had handed off and shoved it into her captured hand.

"I ain't seen you around here before." His face was inches from hers when he spoke.

Hellboy sprang out of his seat and quickly, but as inconspicuously as possible, made his way to the bar. Ignoring the man who still had Jade's wrist enveloped in his hand, Hellboy wrapped his left arm around her waist, kissed her on the cheek and said, "Hey babe. You're late and I was beginning to worry. But, uh, you look fantastic, so it was worth it. You done talking to him or you need a few more minutes? No rush, but I've missed you all afternoon."

Jade flashed him a grateful smile and played along with the role of being a couple. "I think we just about finished up our conversation, didn't we?" Jade smiled sweetly at the man who, up until her giant red savior walked up, had held her wrist tightly enough to leave marks.

"You're with this freak?" the man asked, incredulously.

Anger balled in the pit of her stomach. The annoyance didn't fully manifest when the stranger grabbed a hold of her; shock was still registering. But when he made a crack about her savior, a switch flipped inside of her and it was everything Jade could do not to claw his eyes out. Instead, Jade got all wide-eyed wonder. "I'd like it if you didn't talk about my… my husband like that! Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to go have a pleasant evening. I wish you the same."

Spinning on her heel, Jade calmly walked to the table Hellboy had been sitting at, choosing a chair with her back to the bar. Hellboy smiled at the man, shrugged his shoulders, and with a wink, took the bottles of beer from the bar and followed Jade's path. Both rolled their eyes when they exchanged glances, but neither snickered, for fear of incurring the drunk man's wrath. Both of them knew that Hellboy would be the first target of anyone's beer-fueled bravery and that the man at the bar would be first in line. Better to keep a low profile than to have to prove anyone wrong.

After several long moments of silence, Hellboy couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Husband, huh?"

Jade blushed, but instead of breaking eye contact, she held his gaze. "Yeah, well, making you to a husband signifies commitment. And while it did occur to me that you might not like being taken off the market for the night, I made an executive decision. But making you a boyfriend signifies possibility on his end. Categorizing you as a friend means I'm available. And relegating you to a business association means I'm essentially here by myself, looking to get picked up."

Hellboy nodded his head in understanding, finding her reasoning quite amusing. And with the case closed, Hellboy allowed himself the opportunity to let his hair down, figuratively, and do something he'd been wanting to do since he first laid eyes on her – flirt.

"Commitment, huh? Well, if you're mine for the evening that not only makes me the luckiest guy in the joint, but also the envy of every man in here. Possibly some of the women."

Her beer bottle resting against her lips, Jade laughed, feeling her cheeks burn in pleasure. She then took a swig, set the bottle down and leaned forward. Hellboy palmed his chin, elbow resting on the table, in mock-rapt attention as he leaned in to hear what Jade had to say. It was fabulous to see her in a completely different environment, a completely different mind-set.

"I so doubt that," she said, rolling her eyes. "But thank you. That's very kind. But dude, I'm here to spend time with you. To have some fun while I'm still here. To make some of the bad stuff move farther out of my head. I'm still going to put the house on the market, but getting to let my hair down tonight is going to go a long way in making the shit that happened easier to bear. And besides, you seem like you'd be fun to hang out with. I figure I'll never get this chance again."

Hellboy pushed himself off the tabletop and leaned back in his chair. He picked up his beer bottle, looked at it and then at Jade. "So no work. Just two people out having fun?"

"Exactly."

Hellboy tipped the bottle back as it pressed against his lips, the cool contents leaving a warm trail down his throat. It had been a long time since had been able to kick back and have some fun. And even longer since he had done so with a pretty girl on his arm. Whatever the night had in store, Hellboy was game for anything.

"Then I take great pleasure in telling you that you look fantastic," Hellboy said, his gaze traveling up and down Jade 's seated figure. He knew he was laying it on thick, but for the life of him, he didn't care. Opportunities like this didn't come along very often and Hellboy was going to make the most of it!

She smiled, cupping her chin in her hand and propping her elbow on the table. "You mentioned that at the bar already." Jade knew Hellboy was being playful and didn't take his words to heart, although it was difficult to keep herself from doing so. It was just banter, nothing more.

"Well, I didn't want you to think it was just for his benefit. You look stunning."

A blush colored her cheeks as she looked away, playing with the ring condensation on the tabletop. "Thank you. I was hoping you'd like. I haven't worn a dress in a long while and had hoped I pulled it off."

"You pulled it off so well that every man in here wants to pull off that dress."

Her cheeks darkened and she reached for a beer. "Well, since it's our last night together, I thought we should celebrate. And people dress up when they celebrate. So, a toast?"

Hellboy grabbed the other beer and held it up. "Anything in mind?"

Jade was quiet a moment while pondering her words. When she had decided, she raised her beer bottle next to Hellboy's and said, "To knights – and discovering that their amour isn't always white." This brought a chuckle from Hellboy. "Thank you for helping me in my time of need and for doing so with grace, but without pity," Jade continued.

"Jade …" Hellboy started, but she interrupted.

"No. I'm serious. Everyone with your organization has been nothing but professional, but you really made me feel safe. I haven't felt safe in a long time. Thank you."

Hellboy struggled for words and was startled when Jade clinked her bottle against his. "Bottoms up," she said.

"Bottoms up," he echoed.

Hellboy struggled to think of something appropriate to say, but the band took to the stage and a brief smattering of applause greeted the musicians. After taking a moment to ensure that their instruments were properly tuned, the group got the crowd to their feet and onto the dance floor with a lively version of Mary Chapin Carpenter's 'Down at the Twist and Shout.'

Jade leaned forward, so that she could be heard when she confided, "I have to confess that I secretly love country music live – if the band is good. There's nothing like watching people line dance and listening to lyrics that are… upbeat." At the arched brow cast in her direction, Jade explained. "I mean, there's people leaving people and… drinking and… whatnot, but it all seems very tongue in cheek. It seems so… pure. Ah, never mind." She plopped her weight against the chair back.

"No! No, I understand. And you're right. It just seems like that last thing I'd ever hear come out of your mouth."

Jade bit back a comment about what exactly he would expect to come out of her mouth, but she silently held her beer up to him in salute before swallowing its contents.

The band flawlessly flowed into Brooks and Dunn's 'Boot Scootin' Boogie' and Jade stood, a smile threatening to split her head in two.

"I so love this song. It came out my freshman year in college and my roommate was so into Country music. Every time I hear it, I think of her. I so gotta go dance to this!"

Before Hellboy could reply, she was darting through the tables before taking her place on the dance floor. Much to his surprise and awe, Jade performed the line dancing steps as well as, if not better, than the others lined up with her. He tried to figure out the dance steps, but with so many bodies between himself and Jade, Hellboy soon gave up and instead laughed right along with Jade as she bobbed, twirled and clapped.

The song ended and Jade made a few comments to people and replied to others as she made her way back to the table. Her face was flushed from the exertion, casting a warm glow to her skin. With a dramatic flourish, she plopped back down in her seat and reached for her beer.

"Line dancing. Never would have pegged you for the type."

Jade winked as she swallowed the contents of the bottle. Setting it down next to the forest of other bottles, she answered, "That was kinda the point. I won't lie to you and tell you everything's peachy from yesterday, but I'm a lot more dimensional than you seem to give me credit for. Next thing you'll discover is that my undergrad is in Art Therapy."

"That… is rather… surprising, I'll admit.

But before any other words could be spoken, the lead singer set his guitar down and smiled at the crowd. "Ladies and gents, I don't normally do dedications, but we don't normally have someone quite so important gracing us with their presence. I must say, it's a privilege and an honor to have him here with us tonight. I hope he takes much amusement in our next song, which I would like to dedicate to Hellboy!"

A smattering of applause followed the singer's words and Hellboy forced a smile to his lips. He raised his beer bottle high in acknowledgement, then quickly knocked back the rest of its contents. He desperately wanted another when the band played the opening bars to 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia.'

_Fuck no they aren't!_

Trying to think of a way to escape, Hellboy frantically looked all around, trying to think of a plausible reason to exit, before locking gazes with Jade.

"This sucks," she mouthed, her hand snaking out and sympathetically patting him on his forearm.

Just as Hellboy was about to get up and walk out, the band dramatically paused and with a burst of enthusiasm changed tunes. With a shit-eating grin, the lead singer began to belt out 'Sixteen Tons.'

Hellboy nearly cried with relief. Especially when the singer emphasized the line "if the left one don't get ya than the right one will!" Signally to a waitress, Hellboy quietly bought the whole band a round of drinks of their choice.

.o.o.o.o.

A loud thunderclap quieted the crowd. Nearly everyone in the bar exchanged looks as the sound of rain upon the metal roof drowned out the few conversations still going. Fear shone in everyone's eyes as the unasked question of seeking shelter in a more structurally sound dwelling might not be such a bad idea. The band realized that they were losing the crowd's attention and, after murmuring amongst themselves, broke into Eddie Rabbitt's 'I Love A Rainy Night.'

Pausing the arc of the beer bottle to her mouth, the look of joy on Jade's face warmed Hellboy to his core. Setting the bottle back down, her head swayed in time to the music and her fingers drummed along with the beat on the tabletop. Taking delight in her pleasure, he smiled into his bottle of beer as he took a long pull. He nearly spit it all out, however, when she turned to him and said, "I love this song! I just gotta get out there. Will you dance with me?"

He quickly tried to think of a sufficient reason to get out of her request, but only came up with, "Uhm, everyone will stare."

"Fuck 'em." Her chin stuck out defiantly. He would have to try another tactic.

Closing his eyes, Hellboy bit back the retort of only wanting to fuck her, not them, but instead he merely grunted, "I'm only doing this because of the beer."

Jade threw her head back and laughed, a deep belly laugh that made all of Hellboy's insides warm. She quickly stood, lest Hellboy change his mind, and grabbed his left hand, tucking her hand and his in the hollow of her back. She then led him through the labyrinth of tables and chairs to the dance floor.

Hellboy quickly realized that the song had a faster tempo than he remembered. There would be no taking her in his arms and shuffling back and forth in a slow dance. The up-tempo was meant to be bounced to. The other dance patrons had lined up on the floor, knowing some secret combination of steps that was just beyond his comprehension, but after rolling his eyes and tugging on his soul patch, Hellboy took a deep breath before joining Jade in her attempts to follow the dance pattern. Much to his relief, the song ended soon after he attempted to follow Jade's dance moves. The band then slid into a beautiful harmony of The Eagle's 'Desperado.' He took a deep breath.

"Uhm, since we're out here, would you mind… very much… if I asked you to dance?"

Jade, about to begin her maneuvering through the tables to reclaim her seat, was a little taken aback that Hellboy would want to continue a presence on the dance floor, but she smiled and stepped into his arms as an answer. She placed her hands around his waist, leaving him confused as to the placement of his hands… finally settling on her waist, also.

Maybe it was because Hellboy had rescued her from a perilous situation that no one else could understand. Or maybe it was because he was so self-defacing. Or maybe it was just that fact that Jade was plain ol' attracted to him, and had been for as long as she could remember, but she wanted to stay in his arms forever. She laid her head on his chest and let her arms wrap around his back. Tentatively, he pulled her closer in response and Jade smiled against the material of his t-shirt. She knew that she had found paradise, if only for a few minutes.

Jade wondered if he was as aware of her breasts against his chest as she was. After several agonizing seconds, Jade realized that an opportunity like this would never reappear. The case was over. Tomorrow he'd be gone. If she wanted to make her intentions known, the moment was handed to her.

Taking a deep breath, Jade pushed her hips forward slightly, a gentle rub against the front of his trousers, then a retreat. She dared not look up into his face, but instead waited for a reaction. Jade swore she could hear Hellboy's heart speed up, so she tempted fate and pushed her hips forward again. But this time, Hellboy held her against his pelvis. Both stopped moving when Jade realized that Hellboy was holding her against his hardness. It took everything in her power not to rub herself against it, but instead she planted one leg between his, leaving little doubt to her desire. Positioning her hands on his lower back, Jade pulled Hellboy even tighter against her. Knowing her cheeks were as red as his skin, Jade couldn't bring herself to look up into his face. Having made the first move, she wanted Hellboy to take over. There was no question of each one's interest, only a question of what they would do about it.

"_You better let someone love you… before it's too late."_

As the song ended, Jade forced herself to look up into Hellboy's face. His eyes locked into hers and the room fell away. He raised a hand up to caress her cheek and whispered, "Let's get out of here."

Her lips parted by no words came out. _Did he just suggest what I think he just did?_ After the slightest pause, although it seemed like an eternity to Hellboy, she slowly nodded her head in agreement. Belying the lack of confidence he felt, Hellboy took her right hand in his left and led her off the dance floor, through the maze of tables and chairs, allowing Jade to grab her purse and then marched out into the rain.

The cold downpour jarred him back into reality and he slowed his pace, turning to face Jade. Water ran in rivulets down his face. A tendril of hair had pulled loose from his ponytail holder and was plastered against his cheek. Jade desperately wanted to smooth it back, but it was as if the cold rain had frozen her in place. Oblivious to the fact her own hair was plastered to her neck and shoulders – and that her clothes were a second skin – Jade was shocked when she shuddered, the cold raising goosebumps on her skin. But the heat between her legs remained. She wanted him.

Instinctively, he pulled her closer to him in an attempt to shield her from the rain and cold, but Jade took the action as an invitation. She snaked a hand behind his neck and directed his head down towards hers. A slow, sexy smile curved her lips as she tiptoed up to close the distance between them. Belying the uncertainty eating away at her insides, Jade brushed her lips against his.

The contact of her lips against his caused the rain to melt away. Inside a vacuum, Hellboy could only focus on the woman in his arms, the heat of her kiss tattooing one sensation throughout his entire being. Lust.

His response was to pull her against him, to nearly lift her up off her tiptoes so that his hardness met her softness, and kiss her fiercely. Gently at first, as if unsure, but her response was ardent and passionate so he picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, and made for the motel room. Once her feet left the ground and her legs wrapped around his waist, her skirt started to ride up her legs towards her waist. As he crossed the parking lot, Hellboy let his hands roam. Since her dress was now clinging to her legs, he hiked the skirt up even further and let his palms cup her bottom. He silently thanked whoever invented thong panties.

Hellboy bumped up against the wall of the building and pinned Jade against the siding, their mouths on fire. He knew that if they continued their exploration of each other's lips outside, there would be no going inside to finish their lovemaking. And he was at the point where he about to unzip his pants and slide up into her under her skirt. Despite all the blood screaming in his veins against it, Hellboy broke the kiss and whispered, "We need to get inside."

The passion-induced fog in her eyes cleared slightly and she nodded her head. She watched as Hellboy fished out the giant key chain from an inside coat pocket. With a quick flick of the wrist, the door was open and Hellboy carried her inside.

…In a gasp of air, Hellboy woke up, momentarily disoriented. His heart was beating so fast, so hard, he felt like it was going to burst from his chest and take flight. His pants also felt like they were shrinking, constricting the lower half of his body painfully. Pushing himself upright to better get his bearings, for a moment he had no idea where he was, but then Hellboy looked around the darkened room and was able to remember that he was still on assignment. And while Jade was indeed sleeping with him, she was curled on her side, softly snoring. With a grunt, Hellboy laid back down and tried to pick up his dream where he let off.


	19. Chapter 19

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

**A/N:** Thank so much for your patience and thanks so much for dropping by. Meant to post this for several days, but there are not enough hours in the day. Hate it when work creeps into my personal time, but software conversions are never fun. If there's any grammar or spelling mistakes, mea culpa. I've forgotten what sleep is.

* * *

Jade dreamed fitfully and restlessly, reliving times long gone but suddenly as fresh as if they were yesterday… 

Her foot itched.

Wanting nothing more than to pull off her shoe and scratch her instep, Jade instead tried to concentrate of the words of introduction being spoken by the Director of Some Important Government Office That She Couldn't Remember the Name Of, but the man kept droning on and on. In fact, the longer he talked, the more her foot itched. It was as if it was a direct correlation.

And the stage lights were hot. A bead of sweat slid its way between her shoulder blades and made it's way towards her waist. Jade could feel sweat starting to collect along her hairline and on her upper lip. The fact that the lights hummed quietly slightly freaked her out. Jade just wanted the awards ceremony to be over with so she could leave the stage.

The ceremony was actually supposed to be a small gathering with the President, but he had been called away on some pressing matter having to do with national security… or something along the same lines of equal importance. Jade didn't understand what the PR flunkie, as her dad referred to the man, was trying to explain. She was just disappointed that she had flown all the way to Washingto D.C. and didn't get to tell the President her thoughts on the state of education in the United States. Jade figured she knew more than the President about education, being a student and all.

So, the ceremony got relocated to a small theater and some important government official was emceeing the event. The only people that seemed impressed were the parents, and only a few of them showed interest.

But in the name of trying to find something to distract her so that she'd didn't embarrass herself or her family, Jade began to scan the faces of the crowd in the theater auditorium.

It took a bit, but she was able to finally find the beaming faces of her parents. Sitting seven rows back, Jade's family sat dead center and on the aisle. Her mother clutched her father's arm, whispering in his ear. Smiling at whatever her mother said, Jade's father absently took her hand in his and gently squeezed his agreement. Her siblings sat to the left of their mother, quietly playing tic-tac-toe. It was obvious that they were just as bored as Jade, but managed to keep quiet and unobtrusive.

Jealous of her brother and sister for being able to quietly play, Jade hated sitting up on the stage, knowing that at some point, everyone in the audience had stared at her. And they would again, collectively not less, when she had to stand up to accept her award. Wanting nothing more than to run into the seats and curl up on her father's lap, Jade knew that soon she would be too big to do such little girl things. But, at that moment, Jade felt so much younger than all of her twelve and a half years. Yes, she was getting an award that some grown-ups wished they could be the recipients of, but this was taking far too long. If it wasn't for the free trip to D.C. for Jade and her immediate family, she would have chosen to stay home and get her award via the mail.

The man was still talking, if one could call it that. Jade caught bits and pieces of what he was saying. "Next generation of leaders" and "hope for tomorrow" bored her, so she went back to tuning him out.

Looking at the girl sitting to the right of her, Jade felt a pang of envy as her eye continued to travel upward until she reached the underside of the girl's cheekbone. Jade kept waiting for her growth spurt to kick in, but until it did, she was the second to shortest girl in her class. Pressing her lips together to suppress a grimace, Jade looked to her left. The boy sitting to her was about her height, but looked to be several years younger than Jade. When he felt her gaze on him, eyes wide with fear looked back at Jade. She smiled tightly, letting him know that she understood how he felt.

Sweat began to gather under her legs, where her bare skin met the padded seat. In her occasional restlessness, the skirt of her dress rode up slightly, making her legs stick to the faux leather chair. Her mother told her that under no circumstances should Jade stand unless directed to do so. It was difficult to remain seated and not rise to smooth her skirt into place, but Jade knew better than to incur her mother's disapproval. Silently pouting, she folded one leg under her and set the other leg to swinging. Looking up, Jade immediately saw her mother's slight frown and sat up a little straighter, trying to pay attention to the words being spoken.

"And now, to present the awards of bravery, I would like to introduce to you Hellboy!"

Jade gasped and her heart leapt to her throat. Hellboy was going to be on the same stage as her? She could barely breathe. Over the years, she had read with rapt attention every article that crossed her path and watched every TV clip that aired about him. While he looked nothing like the people he saved, Hellboy was a true hero. Why, this was way better than getting to meet the President!

Beside herself with giddiness, Jade looked around at her fellow award recipients to see if anyone else was as excited as she was.

No beaming smiles greeted her own. In fact, the girl to her right shrank back in her seat ever so slightly. Jade shook her head in disbelief, not knowing what could have caused her to be frightened. But frankly, Jade didn't care. About to walk out onto the stage was a genuine, bona fide hero. There were few enough in the world that to not recognize bravery and greatness when it walked into a room should have been crime unto itself.

But the announcement was met with thunderous applause from the crowd. The few media outlets covering the event scrambled to get into better position. A musical greeting was piped in over the sound system and the stage curtain was dramatically pulled aside. Looking slightly embarrassed, Hellboy walked out from the wing and onto the stage, paying no attention to the persons in the seats, but instead smiled at the children on the stage.

Jade stood, not caring that no one else on the stage did too or if her mother would throw a fit later at the inappropriateness of her actions. This man deserved a standing ovation from everyone, not just the audience in the theater seats. Her hands hurt from clapping so hard and her cheeks ached from smiling.

The auditorium fell away. Jade felt her jaw go slack. Even though hormones had racked her body because of the recent onslaught of puberty, until that moment Jade had yet to develop crushes on her schoolmates or celebrities. But seeing Hellboy walk in front of her, a custom-tailored suit hugging his body, she felt her first twinges of longing.

As Hellboy walked past the row of chairs, he turned and smiled at the award recipients. He was rewarded with nervous tittering from nearly everyone. Except for Jade. She nearly swooned when he winked at her.

Jade folded herself into her seat as Hellboy took his place behind the podium. Settling in to listen to what he had to say, Jade smiled to herself and hung on every word he spoke.

Quietly coughing into a closed fist, Hellboy collected his thoughts. No written speech lay on the podium – he was speaking off the cuff. "I must admit to not being very good at public speaking. I'm a man of actions, not words. But then again, so are these children. And the term 'children' is rather misleading. For the old adage is true – the people sitting before you might be short on the years of their life, but not on the life in their years. So I was humbled to be asked to speak here today.

"The American Youth Folk Hero Awards honors exceptional young leaders who have made a remarkable and categorical difference to the people of our planet and the planet itself through grassroots efforts… while keeping their focus on helping our country. Their leadership and daring to do what others are not brave enough to do themselves make them true heroes – and they should be an inspiration to us all.

"Each year, the American Youth Folk Hero Awards selects a handful of winners from across this great country of ours. The winners cross all lines of diversity – they are female and male, come from large metropolises areas and small towns, and lead lives from varying backgrounds.

"The goal of the American Youth Folk Hero Awards is to celebrate the heroics of the American youth. They found a void in our world and filled it – encouraging others to do the same. All it takes is for one person to step forward to make a difference. Easier said than done, I know. But the young people sitting before you bravely marched down the path that brought them here today. They didn't just take that first step – they blazed a whole new trail. Again, I am humbled to be standing here introducing them to you all. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this day."

Each child was then called over by name with a recap of their heroic actions that lead them to their accolades on the stage. Wanting to bite her nails when each name that was uttered failed to be hers, Jade wanted to jump out of her skin in frustration. It was so unfair! She was the only person on stage that seemed impressed that Hellboy was handing out the awards and she was the one who had to wait the longest. Jade crossed her arms and began to pout.

But not for long…

"And last, but certainly not least, Jade Coquin, for exemplifying humanity towards all creatures on the planet."

Finally!

Springing out of her chair, Jade had to remind herself not to run across the stage. Forcing herself to stay at a walk, she smiled at her parents and clasped her hands before her to keep them from visibly shaking. As she closed the gap between herself and Hellboy, Jade knew that he was speaking of her accomplishments but didn't hear a word he said.

Stopping before Hellboy and grinning like her life depended on it, Jade looked ever upward until her gaze locked with his. His eyes, appearing yellow on TV and in magazines, were a kind and caring amber in person. Remembering to shake with her right hand and receive with her left, she was surprised at how gentle he took her hand in his.

Not wanting to walk back to her seat and have the moment end, Jade watched as Hellboy's brow furrowed in thought so she hesitated. The slight wavering of her stance made Hellboy's heart swell. Not usually one to revel in hero-worship, Hellboy wanted to know what made the girl before him tick. Ignoring the fact that everyone in the auditorium was waiting for Jade to take her seat, Hellboy quietly asked, "So, what do you plan on doing with your award money?"

Shocked that Hellboy was actually taking the time to ask her anything, Jade felt her heart skip a beat. Answering honestly and frankly, Jade ducked her head shyly. "It's going back into the program."

A smile curved his lips, lighting up his whole face. The other award recipients had done so much too, but none seemed as plucky as the girl before him. Hellboy seemed to forget about the microphone and kept talking like he and Jade were the only people in the room. "You're not going to spend any of it on fun stuff, like a bike or books?" Hellboy was unable to keep the note incredulity out of his voice.

"Nope." Jade shook her head in the negative, but her eyes never left his face. This was, without a doubt, the coolest thing that had ever happened to her.

His smile revealed blinding white teeth that reminded her of Chicklet gum. "Was that your parents' idea?"

Jade ducked her head. He was talking to her longer than he had talked to anyone else. "Oh no. They had nothing to do with my program. They wanted me to put it in my college fund, but they both teach at universities, so I thought the money would be put to better use continuing the vision of the program."

Hellboy looked down at the young girl before him with a sense of awe. He could tell that it wasn't a manufactured answer that she just gave, but rather the God's honest truth. On the cusp of turning from a girl into a woman, there was something about her that made him think that their paths would cross again. Before him on the stage were people whose names he knew he would hear again, but he had a gut feeling that he and Jade would meet again somewhere down the road.

"The world needs to be populated with more remarkable people like you."

Stunned that anyone would bestow her with such a huge compliment, let alone the world-renowned Hellboy, Jade shook his hand and was about to retreat back to her seat when Hellboy leaned in a kissed her on the cheek. Feeling her cheeks turn as red as Hellboy's skin, Jade felt her breath hitch and in embarrassment, quickly scrambled back to her seat, deaf to the thunderous applause that boomed in the theater.

…Jade woke up to see dawn breaking, momentarily disoriented. Then she remembered that she was in her parents' summer home and excitement coursed through her when Jade realized that she made it through the night without an incubus attack.

Rolling over, she smiled when she saw Hellboy quietly slumbering next to her. Deciding it was easier to stay awake than to trying falling back asleep, she untangled herself from the bedding and made her way upstairs.


	20. Chapter 20

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.

* * *

Stumbling into the kitchen, Hellboy rubbed his hands over his face in an attempt to banish the residual sleepiness that still clung to his frame. Surprised that he had been able to get any sleep at all, Hellboy tried to push out the crazy dreams that still ran through his mind, grateful that Jade was not sleeping next to him when he awoke. Sharing a makeshift bed on the floor with Jade apparently had been a little too close for comfort as every single dream Hellboy dreamt involved his current assignment. Now, with only a few hours of sleep behind him, he was on a desperate search for coffee. And for Jade. 

But first, coffee.

With a deep sigh, he stopped in the middle of the room and looked for the coffeemaker, as the smell of fresh grounds percolating permeated his senses and obliterated all rational thought. Tucked away by the toaster, which had a loaf of whole wheat bread and a jar each of peanut butter and honey next to it, was his goal. He smiled as he reached for the oversized mug Jade had so thoughtfully set out. He also noticed powered creamer and sugar off to the side, which he ignored as he filled the mug to the brim. Once he felt the caffeine course through his system, he was able to properly wonder where in the hell Jade had disappeared.

A flash out of the corner of his eye grabbed his attention and directed his gaze out the window and towards the dock. His lips curved into a smile as he saw Jade standing at the edge of the dock, her toes curving over the end of the wooden boards, eyeing the water. Swinging her arms back and forth, occasionally over her head, he gathered she was loosening up for a swim. _Good for her! Getting back into the water can't be easy, especially after what happened last night. Better person than most. _ Her back was to Hellboy, but even at this distance, he was able to appreciate the view.

Jade was wearing a blue two-piece navy blue swimsuit with white polka dots. _Very retro. Circa 1965, I'm guessing. _She seemed deep in thought, as if contemplating making a decision, her arms windmilling around her. The water was a little choppy and the sky was cloud-covered. Hellboy rested his chin in his hand as he leaned on the counter, quietly sipping his coffee as he watched in fascination as Jade stood still for moments on end, her arms suddenly motionless.

Then, Hellboy felt his jaw go slack in shock. In a surprise move, Jade reached behind her back and unhooked her top. Watching her hands go behind her back, time seemed to go in slow motion. Once they reached the clasp, however, time sped back up. In one fluid motion, the top was lying on the dock and Jade had dived into the water. She surfaced about twenty feet out into the lake, scissor-kicking away from the shore until she was merely a speck against the waves. Reaching her intended destination, Jade tread water as she tilted her head back, as if daring the clouds to rain.

With a sigh, Hellboy turned away from the window and, carrying his cup of coffee with him after topping it off, headed upstairs. As much as he wanted to wait for Jade to come back out of the water, he knew there was a reason for her actions. And he wasn't part of that reason. After everything she had been through, Jade was probably going through a purifying ritual. A baptism, of sorts. It was best to let her think that her moment was private.

Besides, all he just wanted to grab a shower and then hit the road and go home.

Or so he kept telling himself.

.o.o.o.o.

Hellboy stepped out onto the back porch, freshly scrubbed and carrying a mug of coffee in hand, not at all surprised to see Jade sitting in a lawn chair, her feet propped up on the wooden railing. She was still wearing her two-piece swimsuit, but a short white robe now covered her arms and back. Resting against her thighs was a large sketchpad, a half-drawn image of a wave was beginning to take shape. His pack of cigarettes, now empty and crumpled on the ground, reflected the morning light. Stepping further onto the porch, Hellboy was able to see his last cig dangling from between her lips.

He couldn't stop staring at that damn cigarette.

"Enjoy the show?"

Caught off-guard, the sip of coffee Hellboy was taking went down the wrong pipe, causing him to choke. Not enjoying the bemused look in her eyes, when he could finally breath normally, the caustic reply was, "Excuse me?"

A snicker completely devoid of humor was followed by a sly smile. "Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about." Her right hand arced up to her mouth and removed the cigarette. Hellboy watched as her arm hung limply, the glowing ember of the cigarette hanging below her waist. It was easier to focus on the glowing cherry than on Jade's lips as she spoke or smoked.

"So why'd you do it?" No use denying it. And it wasn't like he saw a damn thing. Hellboy decided that if they were going to have this dance, he was going to get comfortable. So he took up camp against the railing, thankful the sketchpad blocked some of his view of her swimsuit bottom.

She shrugged her shoulders, not making eye contact with him. Instead, her eyes were in constant motion as she scanned the water's surface. "Good question. I saw a glint of light out of the corner of my eye and knew the sun was reflecting off of something you moved into the sunlight… or overcast haze if you will. Like a coffee mug or something." She looked at the cup pointedly. "Anyways, knowing you were looking at me, wondering what I was going to do, it just gave me a wild hair up my ass."

Swallowing a mouthful of coffee, Hellboy frowned. Some people acted out after going through a traumatic event, but this seemed different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, so he tried to get her to explain. "I figured it was a purifying ritual of some sort. A way to purge yourself from yesterday… and the days preceding. But if that wasn't it, what took you down there to begin with?"

She resumed sketching, the cigarette once again firmly planted between her lips. He was hitting too close to home. Best to throw him off the scent. After a pause, Jade said, "It was more me acting out, actually. I wish I could say there was some deep meaning behind it, but I got nothin'. I went down there… I guess you might say that I went down there to see if I could."

It took everything in Hellboy's power not to shake his head in frustration. She was lying, but didn't want to call her on it lest he push her away. Instead, he opted to try his hand at comforting her. "Wanna talk about it?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Jade slid her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose and looked at him directly. "Not really."

Her gaze was a little disconcerting. Looking away, he focused on the grain of the wood railing. "Jade, you went through something very traumatic. And while my therapist skills are somewhat lacking, it might be a good idea to get some things off your chest."

"I already did that. You saw me take my top off before diving into the water.

Hellboy decided to try another tactic before he said something he would regret. "I'm figuring you might want me to take you back into town, to get a rental car or whatnot, before I mosey out of here. You got a timeline for your day?"

That took the wind out of her sails. "Yeah. That's right. You gotta head back to your life. I'm sure you'd rather head off sooner, rather than later. Let me… let me get a couple of things done, grab a shower and then I'll be good to go." Jade stood abruptly, flicked the dead butt off into the yard and in a fluid motion, had the sketch pad propped up next to the chair and was halfway to the kitchen door, when she turned.

"Listen, I know this is a long shot, but…" She took a deep breath, hesitating, then shook her head. "Nevermind. I'll help you finish getting ready after my shower. I'll be done in just a few minutes. Don't go too far."


	21. Chapter 21

**Obligatory disclaimer:** Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own everything, save my own original characters.

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"I was out of line." 

Hellboy spun around in surprise, the pen he had picked up to fill out his report flew out of his hand, hitting the floor and rolling under the refrigerator, embarrassed that Jade had been able to sneak up on him. He was usually better than that, but this case was different than most and his bearings had been off from the moment he and Jade met.

Jade was standing on the bottom step, leaning against the wall closest to the kitchen, her hands stuffed in her jeans pockets. Wet hair was brushed back into a low ponytail. The jeans were the same ones she wore the day before, but the t-shirt looked to be left over from her younger days. Or her mother's. The Allman Brothers logo was emblazed across her chest, the image slightly faded and cracked and the hem of the threadbare white shirt more than a bit frayed. Hellboy thought the shirt looked much older than Jade herself.

As if hearing his unasked question, Jade pointed a thumb at her chest and explained. "My mom used to hear them sing back in the day in Gaslight Square in St. Louis. They were my first concert. And after everything that's happened, I just wanted to feel her arms around me. I figure that this was the best that I could do."

Hellboy nodded his head, his thoughts suddenly far away. After tugging on his soul patch, musing over times gone by, he said, "I did some time in Gaslight Square myself. I've had a few cases in St. Louis. Used to swing by Olive and Boyle down there in the Central West End. Man, it was cooler than Bourbon Street and Greenwich Village combined back in the day. Even I fit in with the crowd!" He paused, caught in remembering days gone by, a slight smile twisting his lips.

Then, what Jade originally said finally registered and confusion marred his features. What on earth was she talking about? Out of line… outside? He closed his eyes in resignation. He really didn't want to take another spin around the dance floor, but Hellboy also wasn't quite ready to hope that Jade's proverbial walls were going to come tumbling down.

"Wait. What? What are you talking about? Being out of line, how?"

Thinking about Hellboy living the bohemian lifestyle her mother used to embrace, Jade looked befuddled for a moment, then smiled ruefully as she remembered what she first said, her lips curving into a lopsided grin.

Ah, back to her popping her top.

Jade wrapped her arms around herself as she crossed the room and entered the kitchen. "Earlier. Outside. I was rude and ungrateful. You were right; I was acting out. Like a child. Like a brat, even. Bottom line, I was completely inappropriate. And I just wish… I just wish that I was sorry about it. But I'm not. In fact, quite the opposite. I know what I did was wrong. But even now I don't feel the remorse I should. But I put you in an awkward spot. And for that, I feel horrible."

Unable to maintain eye contact, Hellboy went back to assembling his sandwich. He had planned on filling out his report while he ate, but for now, the writing would have to wait. And what was it that she was saying? That she wasn't sorry that he saw what he saw?

Trying to back-peddle out of the situation the quickest way possible, Hellboy shook his head as he slathered mustard on his bologna and cheese sandwich. "Nothing to feel bad about, Jade. You're actually giving yourself too much credit. I saw nothing. Those swimsuits I pulled out of the dresser earlier were more enticing than what I saw out the window. But apology accepted."

Jade slid onto a barstool and played with her keys that had been tossed on the countertop. The air was thick with tension and Jade frantically tried to think of how to move past the magnetism between them that hung over their heads. Using the teeth of her car key, she traced an invisible design on the countertop and sighed heavily before continuing, "So, whatcha doin'?"

Casting her a glance out of the corner of his eye, Hellboy carefully appraised Jade. He just wanted to make sure that she wasn't still trying to fuck with him. _Although that isn't too far from what I'd like to do to her._ Nearly positive that Jade was contrite and trying to move past the moment, he replied, "Going to eat some lunch and fill out this report. It's the tying up loose ends time of the case." He mentally willed himself to ignore the fact that she smelled like Heaven – vanilla and lemon and the ground after a hard rain.

Jade tilted her head, looking over at the paper laying before Hellboy and trying to read it upside-down. Not much of it made sense to her, so she instead grabbed a slice a cheese and thoughtfully munched. Knowing that he was watching her, waiting for her to help the strain between them dissipate, Jade swallowed hard and then forced a smile to her lips. "So, case closed?" Asking the question caused a little bit of her heart to break.

Relieved that she moved on to a safer topic, although it did remind him that their time together was drawing to a close, Hellboy smiled wanly. He didn't tell her that he could have been finished and loaded his equipment into the SVU by the time she was finished with her shower and that, instead, he was drawing out their time together. "Just about. Just need to do a walk through of the house with that gadget over there and make sure that the readings prove that any incubus activity are zero, then fill out this form and have you sign off. Then I'm out of your hair forever." _Before I ever got a change to wind my fingers through it._

Jade eyed the small rectangular box Hellboy indicated with interest. It looked like a cross between a voltage indicator and barometer and fit in the palm of her hand. After she picked it up and looked it over with minute detail, she glared at Hellboy incredulously. "You mean, you had this all along? Why didn't you use it before now?" A ridge formed between her eyebrows as she frowned, struggling to understand.

Hellboy winced. Busted. He should have known to keep his mouth shut. And he should have done the walk-through while Jade was in the shower. _Dumbass, dumbass, dumbass. This is why you don't work with civies and this is also why you keep your mouth shut._ As it was, the only thing he could do was come clean.

Taking a deep breath, Hellboy silently spun the empty report page on the countertop. "I went old school on this assignment. Most of the equipment we use on our cases is not meant for civilians' eyes. Top-secret clearance and all that. Since you were involved in the eradication, I had to make some modifications in how to do the cleansing. And because there were… certain aspects that I had to change, I thought that it best to go all the way back to the agency's roots," he finished lamely. He could tell by the fire in her eyes that Jade was mad at him – again. And just when he thought they could parts ways on a good note…

Balling her hands up into fists, Jade felt her blood pressure rise. She called in for high-tech and state-of-the-art and what she got was old-fashioned and outdated? Against entities that could have killed her? _What a bunch of bullshit!_ "At the possible expense of my life?" There was no mistaking the emphasis put on the last words she bit out.

Hellboy groaned and slowly rolled his head back so that he was staring at the ceiling. This was not going well. Suddenly everything he had done was going down the tubes. He then rolled his head to the left and then to the right, popping his neck. Not wanting to look at Jade for fear of getting angry right back, Hellboy opted to look out the window, silently remembering peaceful environs that belied the terrifying experience Jade and her sister shared.

After a moment, he turned back towards Jade, holding her gaze and responded, "Jade, we had to clean the house at some point. I promised you that nothing bad would happen. Not on my watch. And while you had a close call –."

"But something bad did happen! If we had used that… thing first, then we would have known if the incubus was here!" Jade hated how she sounded like a petulant child, but what the fuck? A top-funded government agency with gadgets and gizmos aplenty and they used salt? Jade was beginning to wonder if she would have been better off finding all the information on the Internet and having cleansed the house herself for all the good Hellboy did her.

His massive shoulders rose and fell like mountains crashing into the sea as he shrugged his indifference. If Jade was going to be pissed, then Hellboy decided to revert back into business mode. He made the mistake of mixing business with… well, not pleasure exactly. But the walls he dropped were definitely going to have to go back up. "Maybe. Maybe not. But now we know that the house is clean. In just moment, we'll know that for sure. You have no idea how sorry I am that I hurt your feelings, but government protocol cannot be ignored, no matter what. And frankly, the house would have been cleansed the way it was even if we had used the fancy equipment. Evil has to be countered by purity. Nothing more pure than what we used. I… Jade, I did the best I could." Hellboy knew he sounded beat and didn't care.

He raw emotion in his voice caused her stomach to twist. Jade's face crumpled. "I'm sorry. You're right. I… I'm just really tired and don't trust easily." A hand arced up and began to massage her brow. "I'm back to that ugly place and I hate it. Ignore me. You've done a great job and I really should let you just get to finishing it. I must seem like an ungrateful brat. I'm just… I… I dunno."

His voice was hushed. "You've let me in so far. Just hold on a little bit longer."

Jade smiled ruefully. "I trust you." At the look of disbelief that washed over his features, she amended, "Listen, this isn't something I can ever tell anyone about. And the fact that something this crazy has happened, something this… traumatic, can really fuck somebody up. Maybe this is Post-Traumatic Stress or something…"

Unsure if Jade was kidding or not, Hellboy smiled tightly and shook his head. When he realized that she was being somewhat earnest, Hellboy dug into his back pocket and pulled out several business cards. Rifling through the stack, he set two down and slid them towards Jade. "One of those is for a very good therapist I know who does phone sessions. I've referred several people to her. She can help."

Jade eyed the cards but didn't pick either one up. Raising a brow, she asked, "And the other?"

Hellboy was suddenly busy with folding and unfolding the form on the counter. "Mine. In case you need any follow-up. Bureau's number as well as a direct line to my voicemail."

"Ah."

When she didn't say more, Hellboy cast a glance towards Jade out of the corner of his eye. "So you okay if I do my walk-through?"

Jade nodded her head, her ponytail bobbing up and down. She even managed to look a little sheepish. "Absolutely. You do that and I'm going to go outside and make a few phone calls. Come find me when you're done… if that's cool?" She slid off the barstool, sliding the business cards into a front pocket.

Hellboy nodded his head in return. "I'll be out in a bit." As Jade made her way to the front door, he watched her retreating back – and backside – and realized that in a few minutes, the case would be over.


	22. Chapter 22

**Obligatory disclaimer:** With apologies to Christopher Golden this time, as well as Dark Horse and Mister Mignola.

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**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Writing the last chapter became the rewriting of the last chapter. And then another rewrite. The basic premise never changed, I just think that I didn't want the story to end. So thanks for your patience. Thanks for your kind words. Thanks for taking the time to drop by. Have a great weekend!

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Finished with performing his last walk-through of the house, Hellboy made his way out the front door, his now almost-empty boxes of supplies tucked under each arm. Pausing on the porch, Hellboy took in the view before him. No wonder rocking chairs were scattered across the ample expanse of what others might even consider a veranda. While water spread out across the expanse of backyard, trees for as far as the eye could see extended across the front yard and beyond. It was as if the house was carved out of the earth and tucked away from the world. 

Setting the boxes down, Hellboy grabbed his emergency stash of cigarettes that he kept in an inside pocket of his duster and shook one loose from the pack. Placing it between his lips, Hellboy had to wonder if the next owners of the house would stand where he was and share the same awe of their surroundings, completely oblivious to the terror the former owners went through. With a shake of his head, he pulled out a Zippo, lit the cig and continued down the steps to the driveway.

The gravel crunched beneath his feet. Hellboy had no destination in mind; he was just walking, giving Jade some privacy. She was out there somewhere, making her calls, and he didn't want to startle her by sneaking up on her unexpectedly. But he just wanted to get the case over with and head back to the hotel and then be on his way home. Because he knew he was thinking about Jade way too much. And he needed to stop.

_Too late, old man_.

Maybe it was that he missed Anastasia. It had been so long ago, but it was about this time of year when they broke up. There had been a few others that Hellboy had dated, but none had developed into what he would call a true relationship. Most couldn't get past what Hellboy was and the others couldn't get past what he did. And while he certainly embraced the image of being a lone wolf, the actuality of it left a lot to be desired. Being lonely sucked.

The front door suddenly slammed open, bouncing off the frame of the house then banging shut, and Jade came bounding down the steps. Hellboy spun around just in time to watch as she dropped a plastic grocery bag by his boxes before jumping off the second to last step, running to close the distance between them. It wasn't hard to imagine her twenty years younger, a girl of around ten, bouncing around with the same exuberance.

Jade was breathless when she stopped in front of him. "Hey you! There you are! Totally forgot that you were coming out here to look for me. So I went inside looking for you, then got sidetracked. I, uh, I made you some snacks for the plane and whatnot. As a thank you for… everything. I know it's not much…" Her voice trailed off and an awkwardness washed over her. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, making him a snack pack, but now it seemed childish, juvenile. She began to trace designs in the gravel with the toe of her shoe.

Touched, Hellboy said, "There was no need for that." While he wasn't truly surprised by the gesture, Hellboy was nonetheless pleased that Jade was so thoughtful. She just seemed like that kind of person, but the actuality of it showed a thoughtfulness towards him that made Hellboy feel more human.

Jade quickly looked up, her blue eyes soft with compassion. There was something in his voice that struck her as being quietly exposed. But then his vulnerability made her strangely uncomfortable and she quickly looked away again. "It was no sweat. In fact, it was the least I could do."

The tone of Jade's voice made it sound like she wanted to drop the topic. Knowing better than to beat a dead horse, Hellboy decided to accept the gift and move on. Dropping the cigarette and grinding it out with his foot, Hellboy motioned with a jerk of his head that he wanted to go back into the house. Falling into step beside him, Jade waited for him to speak. They climbed the steps in unison and Hellboy stood aside to allow Jade through the door first. When she hesitated, Hellboy said, "C'mon. Let's grab what you want to take back and get the fuck out of here."

Slowly shaking her head, Jade felt her breath hitch in apprehension. This was just about the hardest thing she had ever done – although the past few days had been filled with other such difficult moments. Swallowing hard, she finally responded, "I'm not leaving with you." Jade hated that her words were barely a whisper and that she began to tremble.

Feeling like the wind got knocked out of him, Hellboy tilted his head in an attempt to hear Jade better. There was no way she was serious. "What?" He even chuckled slightly as he asked the single word question.

Gads, this wasn't going to go well. She should have known that their parting wasn't going to be just a professional partnership ending… too much had happened. _And yet, ironically, nothing at all happened. _ Jade opted to try for a playful tone. "One of the calls I made was to a car rental place. I'm… I'm getting picked up. In about thirty or so minutes. So… here's the key to the motel room. I put in a call to the front desk to hold the room to this afternoon and to let them know you'll be dropping the key off there for me to pick up later." _Great, now I sound heartless. But this the way it's got to be._

Silently palming the keychain and sticking it in his back pocket, Hellboy hated the fact that he felt an immediate sense of loss. He knew that their time together was about to end, but Hellboy didn't know it was going to be so abruptly. Taking a deep breath, he tried to be nonchalant… and failed. "Why?" _Good, now you sound pitiful. Just the look you were going for._

Pressing her lips together so hard that a white line formed, Jade broke eye contact first. Looking out at the expanse of yard, she longed for days gone by. She wished to be a small child who chased rabbits under the canopy of lush tree limbs. She wanted her family intact. She wanted to be normal again. Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "Because I can't go back to that motel room with you." When his brow furrowed, Jade visibly deflated, knowing that she had to explain further. _Fuck me harder._ "When you first sat down at my table in the bar, we discussed – briefly – my initial request for a female agent. But you never did ask why. Did you ever wonder, even in passing, my reasons?"

Hellboy's brows knitted together as he contemplated the question. He then leaned against the open doorframe, his head wedged against the top of the doorway. While not the most comfortable position, Hellboy figured he could set up shop there for a little while. "Well… I just figured it was because of the… delicate nature of the case. That you were more comfortable with a female–."

"That's not why," Jade interrupted. She had to do this quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. As the minutes ticked closer to his leaving and walking out of her life forever, Jade knew this would be the last chance to tell him. "I asked for a female so I wouldn't have you as an agent."

That hurt. He nodded his head and moved out of the doorway, picking up the boxes and moving towards the SUV. He was trying to think of something, anything, to say in response. Swallowing, he turned back and caught Jade's gaze and held it with his own, his golden eyes glowing brightly. Trying to put on a game face, Hellboy replied, "Well that came back to bite you in the ass, didn't it?" The bitterness he felt wrapped around each word as they exited his mouth.

Jade knew she struck a nerve, which, while not the reaction she was looking for, was close enough. She wanted him to not want her back. Picking up the bag she had dropped earlier, then taking a box from Hellboy, Jade fell in step beside him as they made their way to the vehicle.

The silence was suffocating, so she tried again. "But my reason is not what's going through your head right now. It's obvious you don't remember, but we met before. About fifteen years ago."

Flaring his nostrils as he inhaled deeply, Hellboy tried to think back to when his path would have crossed Jade's before. A small headache was starting to form behind his eyes. His mind was a blank.

Opening the back hatch of the vehicle, Jade walked under the open door and set her box and bag down, then crawled in and turned so that she was looking up at Hellboy. Turning to acknowledge the occasional pinging of raindrops against the windows, she said, "Told you it was gonna rain."

Hellboy was quiet, folding his arms across his chest, nodding his head in acknowledgment, but waiting for Jade to continue her explanation.

He didn't have long.

Wanting to lean back on her elbows and get comfortable, but realizing that it was too come hither for the conversation, Jade pulled the elastic from her hair, freeing her ponytail and then ran her fingers through her nearly dry tresses. It gave her something to do while she explained, "I've changed a little since last we met. I was twelve. Almost thirteen. I was a winner in a national youth heroism contest and was flown to Washington D.C. where I, along with nine others, was supposed to get a private audience with the President. Instead, you stepped in when he was called away on matters of national importance."

He scratched his forehead – the headache becoming more pronounced. Why wasn't he remembering any of this? "Refresh my memory. What it is that you did? I mean, to get the free trip to D.C. and all."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Jade suddenly felt nervous. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to meet Hellboy's gaze. It was the same face she gazed up at on that stage so many years ago.

"In middle school, I volunteered for a local animal shelter, making cage cards explaining the animal's sad tale. I knew that it was a kill shelter and that not all the animals could be saved, but the dogs especially would turn a corner at some point and go from sweet, darling creatures to crazy, whacked-out critters if they were there for an extended period of time. I mean, you would too if you were penned up in a small space for days upon weeks upon months at a time when you were used to roaming a playing and whatnot whenever you liked. Cage crazy, it was called. Broke my heart to see it.

"So I asked around to see what could be done to make the animals more adoptable. Long story short, I instigated a dogwalking program to get them exercise and thought I could take it further. Good dogs stayed good dogs with the regular exercise, but there were so many animals turned in because of behavioral problems. Resources were already strapped for the shelter and although there was a pet foster problem in place to help animals that were almost adoptable become adoptable, the volunteers didn't always have the time to help correct existing bad behaviors.

"Enter Raising the Bar, a program I developed that tapped into an existing resource of volunteers desperate for social interaction – those convicted of non-violent crimes. After I helped to come up with an exhausting screening process, those incarcerated were allowed to train animals that would be difficult to keep in forever homes. The program took off so well, that so many criminals were volunteering that soon they were able to shave time off their sentence by participating in the program. And now, other states are using our idea as a model for their own programs."

It was sounding vaguely familiar to Hellboy. The girl he remembered had chin-length brown hair and blushed furiously the entire time he was in the room with her. He tugged on his soul patch as he tried to push aside the cobwebs clouding his memory.

Jade smirked, crossing her arms across her chest, mimicking his defensive gesture. "I see it's starting to ring a bell, but I know you've met so many people and done so many public relations related events that if you don't remember, it's okay. Anyway, you asked what I did that brought me to the White House and I told you and you just smiled this big smile at me and kissed me on the cheek.

"After that, I had the biggest crush on you." She paused, wetting her lips before squaring her shoulders and locking her gaze with Hellboy's. Her blue eyes deepened to midnight blue and she smiled sheepishly, her dimple appearing in her cheek.

"And I still do."

Suddenly Hellboy forgot how to breathe.

"Jade…" The way he spoke her name emoted so much. Regret. Frustration. Desire.

Putting her hand up to silence Hellboy, Jade shook her head. "I get it. Code of ethics and all that. But sometimes it's nice to know when you're wanted and sometimes, just sometimes, when the work is done, people can play. But I'm going to go inside now. You are welcome to join me. Otherwise, drive carefully and have a safe flight back."

Anguish caused his voice to waiver. He had faced down some of the scariest monsters ever created without one iota of fear. But Hellboy suddenly felt sensations that were foreign to him... dizziness, nausea, chest pains. "Jade… I… I can't. Believe you me, I want to. My God, do I want to. But… I just can't." He had to will himself not to close this distance between them and crush Jade against his body.

A lopsided smile curved her lips. Her head tilted to the side. Her eyes were sparkling with a cross between merriment and regret. "I understand. You don't have to explain it to me. But maybe someday we'll meet again under other circumstances. Next time you're in St. Louis, look me up. No longer a professional relationship then, right? But if you change your mind any time soon, I'll be inside. And thank you. For everything."

With that, Jade walked up the drive and skipped up the steps. Hellboy could have sworn there was a little sway in her hips, as if enticing him to change his mind. Casting him one last glance over her shoulder, she wiggled her fingers in goodbye and then slipped into the confines of the house, only partially shutting the door behind her.

The half-open door stood as a beacon of invitation.

_I'm not changing my mind. Nothing to change. I just… I would be breaking every ethic that I hold true. And all I want to do is hold her. But there for the greater good go I. That and Manning would have my ass in a sling. Dammit. Dammit it to…_

Not knowing what else to do, Hellboy slipped into the driver's seat and tried to shut the door as gently as possible. His mind was racing, his heart pounded in his chest and his blood was boiling through his veins. Frustration oozed out of every pore and Hellboy wanted nothing more than to destroy something in order to channel his aggravation. Slamming the car door would have been a great starting point. But it wasn't his vehicle.

He had to get out of there before he changed his mind. Which he was about to do.

Hellboy closed his eyes in frustration and sighed. Balling his left hand into a fist, he pounded the steering wheel several times in an attempt to calm his nerves. _Why now? Why?_ Muttering every expletive he knew, and making some up when he ran out, Hellboy wanted nothing more than to kill the engine and sprint after Jade. Instead, he took a deep breath, opened his eyes and then slid the gearshift into drive and slipped from the driveway out onto the road.


End file.
